Resurrection
by sailorraven34
Summary: Although Laura's crisis with Ana is over, Overlord is causing trouble with his own 'pet assassin', Blu. And to stop him, they're going to have to find him... which is going to be difficult, as Raven's too busy being jealous of her daughter to do anything useful...
1. Blu's Mission

Blu swung the man out in front of her, using him as a shield. He cried out as the bullet struck him in the head, then went limp. Blu dropped him and rushed forward.

"Close the doors!" yelled one of the guards into his earpiece. Blu gritted her teeth and forced herself to run even faster, getting through the huge metal dividers just before they banged shut. She slowed down a little, but kept up the sprint. She knew more guards would appear soon.

She put her hand on her belt to make sure the USB was still there. Thankfully, she hadn't lost it. She increased her speed, going faster and faster until her feet left the ground just as she reached the stairs.

She soared upward, finally reaching the door at the top. Blu pushed it open and gasped. The roof was swarming with guards.

_There goes that escape plan…_

Blu took off again, flying almost parallel to the ground, knocking guards out of her path. When she reached the end of the roof, she abruptly stopped moving her wings and let herself plummet. A few feet from the ground, she stopped herself short and swerved to the right, towards a parked silver car. She landed next to it.

She pulled something from her pocket and held it to the door. She looked around nervously as she did so. They would be after her. G.L.O.V.E. desperately needed this data…

The device beeped. She opened the door and slid into the seat. She pressed the thing to where the key was supposed to go, and the engine roared to life. She floored the accelerator and the car zoomed off down the road.

Blu drove with reckless abandon, weaving in and out of traffic. As she steered, she pulled out a cell phone and dialed with one hand, then set it on speaker phone.

"Hey, beautiful." said the voice on the other end.

"I have the data." Blu said shortly. She narrowed her eyes. What was all the commotion up ahead? All she could see was cars.

"And you're okay?"

"Obviously."

"Hey, knowing you, you could have multiple gaping wounds and still keep a steady voice." Overlord said. "I just wanted to make sure."

"Yes, you care about me so much, making me go on a dangerous operation with twins due in a month." Blu said bitterly. She narrowed her eyes. "Look, we can talk later." Shoving the cellphone back into her pocket, she opened the car's sunroof. Then she shot up into the sky.

Blu looked around nervously. This wasn't going well.

"Blu."

She glared down at her cell phone like it had done something wrong. "I thought I turned you _off_."

"Look up."

Blu did. A black helicopter was circling above her.

"Thanks." She muttered.

"Any time." Overlord sounded bored. "Now let's go home so we can do something fun."


	2. Jealous

**Raven**

I woke up, rubbing my head as I did so. "Mmm…cake..." I mumbled, still stuck in my dream world. Weirdly, I hadn't had any nightmares. Usually, those were a permanent fixture in my nighttime world.

"I thought you were trying to stay away from sugar for a while." Nero said. "To get rid of all the baby weight."

"Did I say that?" I closed my eyes, then rubbed my head. I stood up and grabbed a hairbrush off the table next to my bed. Nero was sitting in the big rocking chair next to Valerie's crib, holding her. When she saw me she waved her fist at me, making… happy baby noises. I walked over to them and took her hand. She smiled at me, pulling our hands closer to her mouth.

"You're acting so sweet right now, even though you kept me up all night." Nero said in a voice that sounded like he wasn't sure if he wanted to be happy or mad.

"Oh, god." I rubbed my head. "You should have woken me up, Maxhave to teach, and you're not getting enough sleep." I fretted. Then I screamed. "OWW!"

"Natalya?"

"She freakin' bit me!" I jerked my hand away from him.

"Well, she is teething…"

Yes, Nero and I are now officially 'going out' with a stupid whiny brat to look after. Yay, us. I didn't want Valerie in the first place, and I was even more annoyed with her now that she'd arrived. Max did feed her and change her and… all that stuff moms were supposed to do. But that made Nero so tired he didn't even have any time to kiss me, let alone cuddle me. Stupid, stupid baby.

And I _really_ wanted to cuddle…

I put my arms around his shoulders and kissed his neck, letting my pajama top flop open. "Why don't you just put her down and spend some time with me?"

"I thought I was the love-crazed one, not you." He looked at me and for a moment I could see the hunger in his eyes. Then it changed to exhaustion.

Geez, he must be really tired if this wasn't doing it. I wouldn't even mind getting pregnant again…

He plunked Valerie into my arms and pulled out his blackbox. His face went pale. "Oh, god."

"What is it?" I asked.

"We've got a problem, and I have a meeting to get to." He turned to me, his expression pleading. "Can you look after her for today?"

"She's my baby, might as well." I poked Valerie in the cheek. "What do you say to some fun with Mommy, huh?"

She looked up at me with her wide eyes. Then she burst into tears.

This was going to be a fun day.


	3. Valerie

"Okay, good luck." Nero kissed me on the cheek and left.

Good luck? I'm the world's deadliest assassin. I don't need _luck_ to take care of a baby-

"Did you just throw up on me?!" I glared down at Valerie. "You are _evil_ already and you aren't even a year old yet!"

She blinked at me. _What? I haven't done anything wrong. You're delusional._

"Oh, shut up." I said irritably, setting her down in her crib. I quickly changed and then picked her up. Because she was crying. Again.

"Is this all you do?" I asked. "What, are you hungry?" I got the bottle Nero had made for her, but she turned up her nose at it and continued wailing. Sighing, I started rocking her back and forth. She stopped crying, so I set her down. Instantly, the noise started up again.

"What, so you just want to be held?" I rolled my eyes. This was going to be a big pain. I'm not skilled enough to do _everything _one handed… I needed a basket to strap to me or something.

Somehow I managed to feed myself. I grabbed my blackbox and snapped "H.I.V. , where's Cherry?"

"I believe Miss Johnson is out on a mission."

"Max? And all his friends?"

"They are currently sitting exams."

"What about Laura?"

"Off with Ben."

"Ack." I rubbed my head.

"Incoming call from Dr. Nero."

I held the blackbox to my ear with some trouble. "Hello. I'm being cruelly murdered by this 'cute little miracle' you've created, so please leave a message at the &(^)&-"

"Natalya." Nero's voice was sharp. "Please pay attention, I don't have time to say this twice. Someone's gotten away with a whole lot of information. It's not safe to do our usual meeting… so I have to go. I'll probably be gone for a few days or so. Please look after Valerie. When I get back we can do something together, okay? Just the two of us. Love you."

"Wait! Max, I want to come too!" But the phone had gone dead. In anger, I threw it across the room. "Stupid BOYS!"

Valerie cooed happily.

"What, you think this is funny?!" I set her down and she started crying again. "Shut the heck up or I'll kill you like I did your sister!"

She stopped crying, staring up at me.

"Yeah, that's right!" I yelled. "You had a sister once, and she was nicer then you! She never made trouble, she didn't cry, and she didn't make me throw up every single morning for five months straight! I'd much rather have _her_ here with me then you!"

Valerie's lip trembled. Great. I'd made her cry again. Slowly, I picked her up and patted her awkwardly on the back.

"Sorry, I didn't mean that." I mumbled.

"Talking to yourself?"

I whirled around, but before I could see who had spoken, I was unconscious.

And when I woke up, Valerie was gone.


	4. Kidnaping

"Dr. Nero, sir?"

He looked up. "Er… what, Lucy?"

"Are you okay?" Lucy said softly.

It was so unlike her that he didn't know what to say. "What do you mean?"

"I mean that you look worried." Lucy said. "I would change that before we get to the meeting. I swear those people can smell fear."

"I'm just worried about-"

"NIGEL!" Lucy bellowed. "DON'T TOUCH THAT! You were saying?"

"About Natalya-"

"OR THAT! YOU'RE GOING TO RUIN MY FILING SYSTEM!"

"Sorry." Nigel whimpered.

"I don't think I should have left Natalya with Valerie." Nero sighed. "I'm afraid she'll do something crazy like put Valerie in the washing machine."

"She did do that to her cat once." Lucy mused.

###

Kisa stumbled after the kitten, shrieking happily. Peter watched her go.

"I feel sorry for the cat." Shaesta said.

"She'll never catch it." Peter said confidently.

"She's pretty fast now." Shaesta protested.

"She's still so clumsy." Peter said. "She'll fall- who is that?"

He pointed to a red-haired man who was standing next to Kisa. He was holding a screaming baby in his arms.

Shaesta stood up and swore. "Kaito! You stay away from her!" She started running across the yard.

Kaito grinned. "What, are you scared I'm going to take your precious friend?" He ran his finger down Kisa's cheek. "I won't." He smiled. "While you're still alive."

"Are you going to hurt her?" Peter started towards them.

"No." Kaito turned and looked Peter in the eye. Peter stepped back, reeling.

"What did you do to him?!" Shaesta yelled.

"The question is, what is he going to do to you?"

Peter grabbed Shaesta, pinning her down. He grabbed her neck and started sqeezing.

"What are you doing?!" Shaesta gasped.

"Killing you." Kaito smile and picked up Kisa. "He'll do whatever I say now."

Shaesta closed her eyes. "Damn… you…" she breathed.

Peter let go of her, tossing her to the ground.

"Let's go." Kaito said, starting away from Shaesta's body. Peter followed.


	5. Jacob should have stayed dead

**Raven**

I looked around. Where could Valerie have gone? She wasn't even able to crawl yet, so there was no way that she'd be able to get away on her own. Someone must have kidnapped her. But why?

Wait, that was obvious. It was pretty common knowledge that Nero would do just about anything for his precious baby. They could probably get control of G.L.O.V.E. if they asked for it.

"This is just _great._" I mumble, standing up. I had to call Max. I dialed his number, but no one answered. Dang it. It might be because he was still on the stupid ship. I swore.

He was going to kill me, I knew it. It was my lax parenting skills that had caused Valerie to be taken. What was I supposed to do?

"Raven?"

I looked over towards the door. "Yeah? Who is it?"

"It's me, John."

Ack. My face went red. I couldn't help thinking about what _might_ have happened between Jacob and me if _she_ hadn't gotten in the way. And John _was_ Jacob, just the fourteen year old version, which was exponentially worse.

"Can I come in?"

I looked down. I was wearing clothes… so it was acceptable. And yes, I have had encounters with Jacob where I was not wearing clothes. That was mostly his fault (he's a creepy stalker). Also, the Glasshouse wasn't really big on separating boys from girls…

"Yeah, sure."

He entered, looking from side to side like he was trying to find something. "What's going on?" I asked.

"I'm hiding from Jinx and Tolya." He said. "Can I hide in your closet?"

"Sure…" I said, pointing.

A few minutes later, he poked his head out. "Hey, is this your underwear?"

"What are you _doing_?!" I growled.

"I had no idea you were that b-"

"JINX! TOLYA!" I yelled, sticking my head out the door. "JOHN IS IN HERE! HE'S IN THE CLOSET!"

I left the room, locking the door behind me. I was just going to have to go and chase after Max. If I got killed, I could just kill him first.

Behind me, I could hear Jacob screaming. I smiled. He deserved it.

Or maybe I could just take Jinx and Tolya along with me and get him before he got me.


	6. Stalker

Blu held her daughter's hand as she cried out. "It's almost over. Don't worry."

Clearly when whoever it was had cloned her, they'd made some changes. She was able to have a baby in just three months, and her children grew the amount a normal human did in a year every month. And all four of her daughters were exact copies of herself. They didn't have names, they were just called One, Two, Three and Four. Right now Two, who was about nine, sitting in her lap while her father cleaned her skinned knee with alcohol.

"It's your own fault for falling." Blu scolded.

"Sorry." Two wiped her nose. "I'll be more careful from now on."

"Good girl." Overlord stuck a Band-Aid over the cut. He kissed her forehead. "Now go do… whatever little girls do."

Two raced off after her little sister. "I _will_ get that cupcake from you!"

"No way! I ate it!"

"Not fair!"

"They are cute, aren't they?" Overlord draped his arms over her shoulders.

"I suppose." Blu said coolly.

"You like them, secretly. You don't want to admit it but you do." He said

"You're a fool and an idiot." Blu growled. "Leave me alone, will you?"

"I'm sorry if you're having mood swings because of Five and Six." Overlord said. "But don't take it out on me."

"I'll take it out on whoever the hell I want." Blu growled.

"Be nice." Overlord said teasingly.

"I still hate you." Blu grumbled.

"Hey, come here." He started rubbing her shoulders.

"Stop that, that's creepy." Blu growled.

"Can you do something for me?" Overlord said sweetly.

"Why should I?" Blu said.

"We're a couple now." Overlord said.

"No we're not."

"Just go to the meeting and kill Nero." Overlord said. "For me… your… what am I to you?"

"You're my stalker." Blu growled.

"That's right." Overlord sang. "I am but a humble stalker…"


	7. Not Guilty

**Raven**

It took me a while before I could reach Nero on the phone.

"Natalya? What's going on?"

"Valerie's gone." I said.

"How the heck do you lose a baby who can't even move on her own?!" Nero spluttered.

"She was kidnapped." I said.

"Really." Nero frowned. "Show me your hands."

I held them out.

"Your swords?"

I held them out.

"Can you promise me that I'm not going to find Valerie's body in the closet somewhere?" Nero said irately.

"No!" I felt tears fill my eyes. "I would never hurt her!"

"You can't blame me, given your track record." Nero said stiffly.

"That was an accident!"

"Don't be ridiculous." Nero said. "I can't have you bothering me with this right now, anyway. I have things to do." He glared at me. _"Find _her."

Then he hung up.

"Fine, be that way." I shoved the phone back into my pocket.

"Raven!" I turned around and saw Jinx calling to me from the hallway. "There's something wrong with John!"

I went back into the bedroom and found that John… wasn't him anymore. He had grown, until he was my age, the age Jacob was when he died.

"Hey." He said. He was lying on the rug with his clothes ripped, like this was something he did every day. "Hey, bend over."

"Oh, no, buster." I crossed my arms. "You've done that before. You are not looking down my shirt today."

"You're mean, Raven…" He yawned. "What the heck just happened?"

"You grew like fifteen years." I said.

"And now I'm hotter." Jacob said. He took a piece of hard candy from his pocket and stuck it in his mouth, sticking his tongue out at me.

"You are a perverted alien from another planet." Jinx said, poking him in the nose.

"Yes I am." Jacob said happily.

"Why are all guys in this story nuts?" I asked no one in particular.


	8. A Flawed Plan

Kisa poked Valerie in the cheek. Valerie giggled. Peter stood guard over the two babies, his arms crossed and his expression blank.

"What are you doing?"

He looked up and saw a woman with red hair standing in front of him.

"Ah…. I was wondering when you'd show up, Svetlana." Kaito said. "But how? As I recall, you were murdered by your own daughter-"

"You brought Pietor, Anastasia and Zoey back. So I came too. We're a matched set." She smiled. "And my name is Silvy now."

"Alright then, _Silvy. _I suppose you've come to make some dumb speech or something."

"No, actually I was following you and I've only finally caught up." Silvy looked at him. "So what _are_ you doing? And what have you done to my son?"

"Oh, he'll snap out of it sooner or later and be forever wracked with guilt over what he's done." Kaito said happily.

"And why have you kidnapped Valerie Nero and Kisa Fabyan?"

"So I can kill them." Kaito said.

"In a particularly bloody, vicious way?"

"Yep." Kaito said happily.

"What, is that your latest hobby?"

"No." Kaito said. "There is a reason… I have to kill them so I can replace them."

"Replace them?" Silvy said.

"Yes. Ana Fabyan's daughter and Nero and Raven's child… if I can control them, I have it made."

"I see." Silvy rolled her eyes. "So you're going to implant brainwashing devices in them or something."

"No, I'm going to clone them."

Silvy eyed him suspiciously. "Can you do that?"

"I haven't before, but Overlord's done it. So first I need to lure him out and capture him… which I have with this." He held up a USB.

"Wow. That is amazing. I am blown away." Silvy said in a monotone.

"No, it will be easy. All the leaders of G.L.O.V.E. are in one place. Of course he'll show up."

"Or he'll just send his minion." Silvy pointed out.

Kaito winced. "Oh… bother."


	9. Hungry

**Laura**

I stared out at the sea, the waves lapping against the sand. It was peaceful here, which I normally would have liked. But right now it just meant there was nothing to distract me from the nightmares.

"You're so skinny." Ben held my hand in his. "When was the last time you ate, Laura?"

"This morning." I didn't mention that it had come straight back up.

"Then how come you're so darn skinny?" Ben sighed. "And why aren't you hungry?"

"I really don't feel very good at all." I confessed. "And…" I trailed off. I didn't want to tell him about that.

"And…" Ben prompted.

"I'm having nightmares." I whispered. "About Bryony and Iris."

"That's understandable." Ben said. "You watched them die, of course you're traumatized."

"I am _not _traumatized-"

"Mom?" Xander came into the balcony, holding a screaming Daphne in his arms. "I think she got stung."

"Stung? By what?" I asked.

"Well… she tried to pet a bee…"

"Oh!" I grabbed her from him. "Where is it?!"

"Her finger-"

I grabbed her chubby hand and plucked the stinger out. "We need baking soda! Ben, call 911!"

"Laura, I'm pretty sure it's not that bad." Ben said.

"YES IT IS!" I yelled.

"Laura, calm down." Ben took Daphne from me. "I'll deal with this. You go eat."

"But what if she dies?!"

"If she was going to die, she would have done it already." Xander said bluntly. "Besides she's not allergic."

"Laura, go eat lunch." Ben ordered. "Lots of it."

"But I'm not hungry!" I wailed.

"You might not think that you are… but you need food or you'll die." Ben said.

"I know." I snapped. "But I end up throwing up every time I eat something."

"Do you think you're sick?"

"I don't feel sick…" I took a step forward and fell to my knees.

"Laura?" Ben pulled me to my feet. "What's wrong?"

"I'm just dizzy all of the sudden- I'll go get water-"

"You are not." Ben said. "You're going to go eat lunch if I have to force it down your throat."

"Violent, much." I crossed my arms. "Fine. Whatever you want."


	10. Awakened

Otto groaned and sat up. He wasn't sure where he was but his entire body felt so tired… There was no one near him. He was lying in a bed in what appeared to be a hospital.

"Hello?" he called.

There was no answer. Otto sighed and sank back onto the mattress. He wanted to see Laura as soon as he could, but he was pretty sure that if he tried to walk around it would not go well. She'd said that there was something she had to tell him, and he was anxious to find out what it was.

"Oh, he's awake."

The boy who entered looked like his son Xander… but that was impossible. Xander was only four years old and this boy was at least twelve.

"Dad?" he said.

"Who are you?" Otto said warily.

"I'm Xander." Xander frowned. "Did you lose your memory or something?"

"Xander… my son Xander?"

"Yes." Xander said.

"But…" Otto frowned. "How long was I out?"

"A little over a year." Xander said.

"But then you would only be five…" Otto muttered.

"Oh." Xander's eyes widened. "I understand now. You don't remember anything from when you were possessed."

"Possessed?" Otto asked.

"By Overlord."

"Crap." Otto muttered. He looked down at his knees then looked up. "Did I… hurt anyone?"

"You cheated on Mum." Xander said. "And killed Iris and Bryony."

"Who?"

"My sisters." Xander said. "They were eight and five."

Otto sucked in a sharp breath. His children- ones he hadn't even known existed- were dead, and it was all his fault.

"Where is she?"

"Oh, she's around. With Ben."

"Ben?" Otto frowned. "Ben Sanderson? What does she see in him?"

"Well, he's smart, I guess." Xander shrugged. "But they aren't going out or anything… he just lives with us… and they sleep in the same bed…" He sighed. "Okay, never mind. They're going out."


	11. Reunion

Blu screamed as she fell, frantically flapping her wings but it did nothing. Blood and feathers swirled past her. She reached out with one hand trying to snatch at something- anything-

She crashed into the floor, opening her eyes as her dream evaporated. Four was sitting on her chest, her large blue eyes locked on hers.

"Are you alright?" Overlord asked. His voice sounded gentler then it had been in the past. He pulled her to her feet.

"Yes, fine." She brushed some dirt off her shoulder.

"Good." He smiled. "I don't want my precious operative injured."

"Please leave me alone." Blu headed towards the helicopter.

"Alright alright." Overlord stepped back. "You better do a good job on this mission, Blu. Otherwise…"

He put a hand on Four's shoulder, stroking her neck.

Blu sighed. "Of course I will."

###

Otto's face flushed red as he closed the door. "Um, I don't think Laura wants to talk to me right now…" He mumbled. She was much prettier than he had remembered. And she'd looked happy when Ben had kissed her. "Do those two have kids?"

"No." Xander said. "She said she was never going to again. And she does want to talk to you!"

"Then why is she kissing him… and wearing…" Otto trailed off. "I'm not sure if I-"

Xander opened the door and shoved Otto in. He stumbled and nearly lost his balance. Laura looked up. "Oh…"

She jumped out of bed, knocking Ben over as she threw her arms around him. "I thought you'd never wake up."

"Sorry it took so long." Otto said. As he hold her, he noticed how thin she was. He could have snapped her in half easily if he wanted to. He picked her up easily. "So were you bored without me?"

"Very." She kissed his cheek. "I missed you so much."

Otto glanced over her head at Ben. _Clearly not so much…_

"Otto?" She stroked the side of his face. "Is everything all right?"

"No." Otto said. "I'm sorry about… what I did."

"He made you do it." Laura said. "You wouldn't have if you were in your right mind."

"I still feel awful for what I did for you." Otto said. He cupped her chin in his hands. "Is there anything I can do to help?"

Laura frowned. "Actually… yes there is."


	12. Faking It

Kisa began to scream the instant Kaito picked her up. She kicked at him, even trying to bite him. Kaito glanced at Peter.

"It's okay, kitten." Peter said in a flat voice.

Kisa shoved her thumb in her mouth and whimpered as Kaito laid her on a metal table. He strapped her down, then cut into her arm and let the blood drip into a container. Kisa started to cry again. "No!" she yelled, thrashing against the restraints.

"Kisa, stop." Peter said firmly. She looked up at him with big trusting eyes.

"Thank you." Kaito muttered. He really couldn't stand children, especially ones who didn't do anything but cry all the time. He cut off one of Kisa's blond curls.

"Er… where'd the other one go?!" Peter asked, looking from Kisa to the space where Valerie had been.

"She can't even crawl yet!" Kaito looked around frantically. "What the heck?!"

Valerie poked the ceiling with one finger. She wasn't sure why everything was suddenly upside-down, or why the strange men couldn't see her. But she wasn't going to cry and give herself away…

This was a fun game.

###

Blu climbed out of the car in front of the hotel. _Strange place to hold a meeting, _she thought. _But I suppose it is fairly inconspicuous. _

What would happen if she id fail and Overlord killed her children? She didn't know how she would feel. She hadn't wanted to have children and she thought One, Two, Three and Four were annoying and nothing but a burden. But it would be strangely lonely in the beach house without them…

She entered and looked around. What floor had Overlord said? Two or three? She wasn't sure…"

She suddenly gasped, grabbing her stomach and falling to the floor. That had happened a couple of times before. It was no big deal. It wasn't like-

"Are you alright?"

She looked up and saw a man with dark graying hair. He was familiar. Oh, that was right. He had been with the woman who had called herself Serena. She couldn't remember his name, though. But why didn't he recognize her?

Oh, right. She was wearing a disguise.

The man helped her up. "Can you stand? Oh." He was looking at her belly. "Are you all alone?"

"Yes." Blu said. "But I'm fine-"

Wait a minute. If this guy was on the council…

She faked another collapse. "I…"

"Here." He said. "Come with me."


	13. Captured

Blu collapsed onto the bed, clenching and unclenching her fists. She really was in a lot of pain, though she was trying not to let it show.

"Are you alone?" Nero asked.

"Yes." she said softly.

"I have to leave in a second." Nero looked at his watch. "Stay here, okay?"

"Yeah."

A few minutes after he left, she stood up. She opened the door and slowly slunk after him. She pulled the pistol out of her belt, debating whether or not to shoot him now or wait until he got to the meeting and try to get some of the other G.L.O.V.E. members-

BANG!

Blu fell backwards as Nero emerged from the shadows behind her. "You hurt Natalya badly last time, you know." Nero smirked. "Of course I recognized you."

Blu gasped, staring at the blood on her shirt in disbelief. She curled up, her head in her hands.

Nero picked her up and dragged her limp body back to the hotel room. He tied her to the chair at the desk.

Then he pulled off her shirt and started bandaging her.

"What… are you doing?"

"I can't kill you before I get information from you." Nero said. "Besides, I don't want to kill you."

"Why?" Blu whispered. The bleeding had stopped.

"Because you're pregnant." Nero said. "And unfortunately I have a weakness for children. Your baby hasn't done anything wrong."

"Would you say that if you knew about the father?" Blu asked.

"Don't tell me if it's a bad thing." Nero stepped back. "You work for Overlord, right?"

"Yep." Blu said curtly.

"What are you doing here?"

"Trying to kill you, duh." Blu snapped.

"Do you have anything to do with Valerie?" Nero said.

"Valerie?" Blu asked. "Who's Valerie?"

"Obviously not." He sighed. "I'll let you go if you do one thing for me."

"What?" I asked.

Nero looked into her eyes.

"Find my daughter."


	14. Partners

"Where'd she go?" Kaito looked around frantically. He swore. "Find her, fast!"

Valerie giggled, reaching out to touch the ceiling. This was fun.

"Did you hear that?" Peter asked.

"Hear what?" Kaito repeated.

"That…" Peter looked up. "It sounded like it came from above... but I guess not."

"Idiot. How the hell is she supposed to get on the ceiling?!" Kaito sighed. "Just FIND her."

###

**Raven**

I grabbed Jacob and pulled him into Professor Pike's office. He looked up from whatever he was doing and stared at me.

"Raven, what a surprise-"

"Hello." I smiled. "Jacob wants to be your next victim- _lab assistant_. Right, Jacob?"

"No, I-"

"He's very interested in _voltage._" I dumped Jacob to the floor, then left.

Right. There was that problem taken care of.

On my way to the hanger I ran into trouble. In the form of Dimitri and Max Winters.

"Where are you going?" Max asked.

"To Oz." I muttered.

"In your pajamas?" Dimitri asked.

I looked down and discovered that yes, I was still wearing what I'd slept in. Bother.

Then my blackbox rang.

"What is going on _now_?" I yelled.

"Natalya?"

Oh.

"Hi, Max." I said.

"Are you having problems?"

"Had. They've been electrified- er, dealt with."

"Electrified? Raven, what are you-"

"Never mind that now. Just tell me why you called and had to be distracted from your _very important business that is more important than your defenseless infant daughter._"

"This actually has to do with my defenseless infant daughter." Nero growled. "I need you to come here."

"That's what I was doing."

"Do it faster. I've found someone to help you."

"Help?" I frowned. "Why the _hell_ would I need help, Max?"

"She can fly, Natalya."

"Angel Girl?" I rubbed my head. "Can't remember her name… can't remember _anything_ that happened around then because of stupid Overlord…"

"You're the one who got drunk, Natalya."

"Shut up."

"She'll meet you outside the hotel." Nero said. "Don't kill her, or anything."

"Why would I kill her?"

"Going off of your attitude when you found out I'd found you someone to work with-"

"Oh, shut up."


	15. Secret

**Raven**

When I entered the room, I saw the woman with the wings sitting on Nero's bed. Her chest was bandaged, and all she was wearing was Nero's shirt.

Holy _crap. _What the heck was up with that?! Oh my _god, _did they-

Nero entered from the bathroom in a bathrobe. "Oh, there you are. Why'd you come up here? I told you to-"

"Did you sleep with her?!" I yelled, pointing to Angel Girl.

"Did I… what? No. Don't be ridiculous."

"Then why is she wearing your shirt?!"

"Because she had blood all over hers."

"And you're in a bathrobe because…"

"I just took a shower. Is that acceptable?" He put his hand on my shoulder. "You're sure paranoid."

"I am not paranoid!" I yelled. Actually, I am paranoid. But it's necessary in this life. Besides, I'm not going to admit it!

Geez.

He pulled me into him and kissed me fiercely. "That enough to convince you?"

I blushed. "Y-yes."

He squeezed my shoulder. "Calm down, Natalya."

"I am very calm!"

Blu and I got into the car outside. She smiled at me as she slid into the driver's seat.

"He was lying to you, you know." She said.

"What, he did-" My face was red in the rearview mirror.

"Just kidding." She laughed. "Or maybe I'm not. Maybe we did break Otto's rule."

"Otto's rule? Any rule that that Malpense idiot makes up-"

"Oh, he didn't make it up." she said. "He only told me about it. You're only supposed to go out with one person."

"You are so-" I clenched my fists. "Aren't we supposed to be partners?"

"I'm only helping you do I don't die." Blu said. She smiled. I flushed. She smiled the same way Mark did, and that had always driven me absolutely crazy.

"Just tell me if you did it or not?!" I yelled.

Blu smirked. "No way…" She smiled. "It's out little secret…"


	16. Love, or lack of it

Jinx rubbed her head. "God, I'm bored."

"Let's go spray-paint something!" Dimitri yelled.

"No." said Jessa firmly.

"We could give H.I.V. some sort of impossible order." Tolya suggested.

"Make a flying pig!" Max said.

"You guys…" Jessa sighed. "Let's do something important."

"Fill all the fuel tanks for the Shrouds with grape juice!"

"That could hurt someone!"

"Well, then we'll have less grape juice…"

"I like grape juice!" said Xander, insulted.

"Look, it's a flying baby." Dimitri said.

"Quit messing with us, Dima… HOLY CRAP IT'S A FLYING BABY!"

"Catch it!" Jessa yelled, standing up.

"I'm not _that_ tall!" Xander grabbed for the baby girl, but he missed.

"Hey, isn't that Nero's daughter?" Jinx said.

"Yeah, but I thought she was kidnapped." Max jumped and grabbed the baby in his arms.

"What's her name?" Xander asked, tickling the baby under the chin.

"Verity or something." Tolya said. "We should give her to a teacher."

"No way, think of all the fun stuff we could do with a flying baby!" Dimitri argued.

The baby giggled, then clapped her little hands together and vanished.

###

Nero sighed. How had Natalya guessed it so fast? Was it really that obvious? Hopefully, he'd been able to throw her off track quickly enough. He didn't want to make an enemy of her, especially when he finally had her in his grasp.

His phone rang.

He picked it up. It was Natalya. He shoved it back in his pocket. He didn't want to talk to her now. She was so irresponsible, loosing Valerie. She knew how much he cared about his daughter. And he didn't have time to go and look for her. Natalya was just going to have to find her herself.

It rang again. He sighed. "What is it?"

"Blu's buying clothes for herself." She sounded worried and upset. "I just wanted… I just wanted to talk."

"Natalya-"

"When did you start loving me?"

Nero frowned. "That's not like you, to ask questions like that."

"I just wanted to know-"

"If you're feeling insecure, everything's fine."

"I just wanted to know. Is that legal?"

"Since when do you care about what's legal?" He sighed. "Leave me alone, Natalya."

"Fine, I'm changing my question." Her voice got as cold as ice. "When did you _stop_?"


	17. Stolen

"I fell in love with you when you were pregnant with Vanessa." Nero blurted.

She was silent.

"You were there with Mark, and he was talking to her… Vanessa… and I just realized that it could have been me." Nero snapped. "Okay?"

"O-okay…" she whispered.

"Are you all right, Natalya?" He sighed. "If there's something wrong, you can tell me, okay?"

"You've just been… sorta sharp with me all day." she mumbled.

"Sorry, I'm under a lot of pressure at the moment." Nero squeezed the phone. "Good luck, Natalya."

"No, don't hang up!" she hissed.

"Is something wrong?"

"I don't want you to hang up!" she shrieked again.

"Natalya…"

"Please…"

"Fine." He sighed. "What do you want to talk about?"

"I want to-"

She broke off in scream. There was the sound of gunfire and shattering glass and she screamed again.

_I never should have left her alone with Blu-_

He listened desperately for any sign that she was still alive. A second later there was a crack and a grunt.

"Not so pretty now, are you?" said an unfamiliar voice, a man's. "I'm going to cut you now, girl."

Raven snarled something, then she started screaming like she had when Valerie had been born. She was crying too. "No… no… no…!"

_What is he doing to her?!_

"That hurts, doesn't it?" the man whispered.

"STOP IT!" Raven screamed.

"Shut up!" the man growled.

She screamed again, then went eerily silent.

"I know your listening."

The man's voice made Nero jump.

"I know you heard me mess up your girlfriend's pretty little face." It was familiar. He'd heard it before, a long time ago. "She'll get hurt even worse if you don't show up at H.I.V.E. tomorrow morning. I'll be waiting for you in your office."

"Who are you?" Nero hissed.

The man laughed. "You really don't know, do you?"

The line went dead.

Nero frowned, trying to place the voice. Then it clicked.

"_Bartholomew!_"


	18. Bartholomew

Nero and Bartholomew had never been close. It was Scarlett who'd taught him and his sister Emma everything once they were on the streets- how to read, how to write, how to bump into someone in the right way to grab their wallet, how to hotwire a car. He hadn't even known how she'd learned all this stuff, but he accepted it without question. Then when he was eleven, Kaito had taken them away. Bartholomew had met Merrin and had Natalya, Scarlett had died in childbirth and Emma was taken away one day and never seen again. And Bartholomew had died, years later, after he'd met his daughter.

Knowing him, it was very possible that he could be alive. But why would he be after Natalya? He could borrow her any time he likes, Nero wouldn't mind. Maybe he didn't want to approach him… they had never gotten along very well.

But… why now?

###

**Raven**

I dipped the rag in the bucket of dirty water and pressed it to the burn on Blu's side. She sighed from the relief it offered.

"Are you okay?" I asked.

"I'll be fine." Blu said. She rubbed her stomach. "I'm tired, though… Do you know that man?"

"Yes." I rubbed my head. "I've seen him before… but I don't know where. I think it was a long time ago."

"Oh, well." Blu looked at me. "Is it still bleeding?"

"No…" I touched the cut on my chest. "It's shallow, I'll be fine."

"Are you sure?" Blu asked. "If you have a daughter… doesn't she have to-"

"I'm so tired." I turned away from her. "I'm going to sleep now."

"Night." Blu smiled, her eyes full of malice. "Sweet dreams."

I shivered as I lay down. I didn't really want to sleep with her in the room, no matter how exhausted I was. She was dangerous.

###

"Found her!" Peter yelled. He grabbed Valerie and brought her towards Kaito.

"Finally! That only took what, four chapters?" Kaito sighed. "Honestly…"

Valerie giggled and wacked him on the nose.

"Oh, stop that." Kaito said, pinning her down onto the table. Valerie hiccupped, then started crying as he drove the knife into her.


	19. Arrival

**Raven**

I looked up as two little kids were tossed into the room. One was a toddler with blond hair and gray eyes. She cried as Peter let go of her. The other wasn't much more than a small bloody bundle. I picked her up. "VALERIE!"

"Are you okay?" Blu asked. "Oh- is that your-"

"VALERIE!" I screamed, shaking her harder. She didn't stir. I took a breath and forced myself to be calm. I found a pulse. She was still alive. Both her wrists had been slit and she'd been badly cut in the chest. I stopped the bleeding with the edge of my shirt and held her to my chest. "Come on, eat, you." I growled.

She still didn't wake up. The little red dress Max had loving dressed her in this morning was gone, replaced by a plain gray blanket. I clutched at her tightly. I was crying. The salty drops stained Valerie's pale face, and she opened her eyes and looked at me.

"Hey, it's gonna be okay." I stroked her hair. It was very soft and thin and silky under my fingers. She just kept staring at me. Her eyes were pale like ice. Like mine.

"Is she okay?"

"Yes. No. I don't know." I started coughing.

"Are you okay?" Blu asked. She had Kisa in her lap and was playing with her hair, her nimble fingers braiding and unbraiding it.

"Fine." I looked at her. "You have kids?"

"Four." Blu said, shrugging.

"Geez." I sighed. Then I winced. "Did you just bite me again, child?"

She looked up at me innocently.

"Oh, honestly." I grunted. "You don't have teeth yet! Well, more than four of them…"

She made a noise, then started to cry again.

"Are you okay?" I asked. I put her onto my shoulder and leaned against the wall. "Hey, if you die your dad's gonna make me have another kid, and I don't want that, so hang in there, okay?"

Her wailing got louder.

I took her off my shoulder and looked at her. Her face was red, her eyes glazed. She must be sick. Oh, oh, no. Not when she's already so weak…

Kisa came over to us, tugging on Valerie's foot. Valerie opened her eyes. She grabbed for my hair and _yanked_.

"OOWWW WHAT THE !*(#$*)( $?!" I screamed.

She held up her hand.

Sighing, I took it and squeezed her chubby fingers like I was the one who was dying…


	20. Weird

Eventually, exhaustion overcame me and I fell asleep.

_I dove for Otto, but she grabbed the back of my jacket._

"_You stay out of this." I hissed. _

"_I love him." She growled, glaring at me. _

_My eyes narrowed. She gulped, but didn't let go._

"_Natalya no." Kaito yelled. "We need-"_

_But I didn't hear him, and I had already started driving the needle into her arm…_

I woke up screaming in a cold sweat. I began to cough, and I couldn't stop it. Terror shot through me. Then I threw up.

"Are you okay?"

"No." I whispered.

"Your daughter _bites_." Blu frowned at me. "Did you know that?"

"Yes." I said.

"But I think she's hungry." Blu said, handing Valerie back to me. "And she won't drink my milk. I think it might be different because of… well, I'm different…" She trailed off.

I pressed my daughter to my chest. She clutched at me desperately but broke away and started crying a few seconds later. "I haven't eaten anything in a while… usually Max feeds her…"

"I think she's dehydrated." Blu said, looking worried. "She's all red-faced- here, drink this."

She handed me the bucket with the dirty water.

"Why can't she have some?" I asked.

"Because she's not as strong as you. If there's something bad in it she can't handle it as well as you. Besides, it's food and water for her."

"Fine, fine…" I drank some and swallowed. I hope there weren't bugs in there or something. It seemed like something was wriggling around inside of me and I felt like I was going to throw up again. I swallowed again, trying to get the taste out of my mouth, then took another sip.

"Thanks." Blu said. Valerie clung to my clothes, burying her tiny face in my dirty shirt. She bit me again, but it was gentle this time. _Weak_. I looked her up and down. She was almost curled in on herself, her expression exhausted.

"Sorry." I mumbled. I lay down. This was my fault. If I hadn't been trying to lose weight and counting on Max to take care of my daughter. But I really was huge from Valerie still. I think I'd gained weight instead of losing it. It was weird…

But whatever. I was weird. I might as well admit it.


	21. Death

Valerie was cold before I woke up. I was still clutching her tiny body to my chest.

I was too grief-stricken to even cry. _Again?_ _What did I do to deserve this?! Even with all the people I've killed... I lost even my second-chance daughter!_

I started coughing again. I felt cold and hot at the same time, like I had a fever. And then there was that irritating wriggling sensation-

The door opened and Peter came in.

"Come with me."

###

Lucy grabbed Nigel's arm as they disembarked. "Something's not right." She hissed.

"You're damn right." Nero muttered. Then he ran towards the crumpled figure of a woman with red hair on the edge of the hangar. "Svetlana!"

Cherry stirred feebly, her red hair drenched with blood. Nero knelt next to her and turned to Lucy. "Go see if anyone else is alive!"

"Some of the students got out…" Cherry whispered. "Half the Alpha Stream, about a third of the-"

"Stop trying to talk." Nero slung her over his shoulder.

"I don't know where Jinx is!" Cherry choked out.

"I'll find her." Nero said. "But first I have to get you to the hospital-"

"They destroyed it." Cherry murmured. "And everyone in it."

"They? Who is they?"

"They is Overlord's men." Gabby appeared from nowhere. "I saw Madelynn, too. And Peter seems to be the leader."

"Peter?" Nero gritted his teeth. "Natalya was right."

Natalya! He had to get to his office. But Cherry-

"Dr. Nero, sir, I think she's dead." Gabby said.

He looked down. Then he set Cherry down against the wall. _I'll find Jinx for you after I rescue Natalya._

###

**Raven**

By the time we reached Nero's office, I was too weak from hunger and sickness to even stand. I was draped across Blu's shoulder like a child.

The door opened and Nero came in, followed by Gabby Johnson. I'm not sure what she's doing here. It's hard for me to think.

Nero had enough time to reach me and take me into his arms before the bullet went through his back.


	22. Ill

Zoe gritted her teeth as a dirty boot ground into her leg. _"Just pretend to be dead_." Xander had said. Yeah, great idea-

She closed her eyes even tighter as the flashback hit her.

_Pietor stood in the middle of the barracks surrounded by bodies. The youngest of the children was only four or five. She clapped her hand over her mouth and shook blood off her boots. "What did you do all this for, Pietor?"_

_He turned to face her, his one eye dull. "She escaped." he growled. _

Then it was gone. So where the men who kept stepping on her. She stood up. Dimitri next to her did the same thing, dragging Jinx onto her feet. She was the only one in their group who had been injured. Jessa was holding Favian, Avery's son.

"Where's Xander?" Jinx mumbled.

"He went off with Max." Zoe rubbed her head. "We should get-"

"Found another one."

The gruff voice made Zoe whip around. She stared at the man. And then… and then a violin appeared in her hand.

Without thinking, she grabbed it and started playing. The man staggered for a few seconds before collapsing.

"What… what was that?" Jessa asked.

"I don't know." Zoe's head felt like it was going to explode. "Let's just go."

###

**Nero**

I woke up with Raven leaning against me. We were still in my office, sitting against the wall with a blanket over both of us. She looked up.

"Valerie's dead, Max."

I stared at her for a few seconds. Then I pulled her into me. "Oh… oh, jeez." Her skin was even paler than normal. "Are you okay?"

"My stomach hurts a little." She shrugged. "I think there must have been something bad in the water."

I slipped my hand around her stomach and rubbed it gently. "Someone needs to cut back on the cake-" I froze.

"What, is something wrong?" she asked.

"I just felt something… _move._" I whispered.

"I know, it's happened to me too." She started to cough, so hard her whole body shook with the effort.

"All right?" I asked gently.

"I keep coughing so hard I throw up." she muttered. She smelled like milk, then way Valerie…used to.

"Was she in a lot of pain?" I asked softly.

"Yes." Raven buried her head in my chest.

"What happened?"

"I didn't have any milk to give her… she was sick..." Raven started to cry, then gasped.

"What's wrong?"

"My stomach hurts, that's all." Raven shrugged. "I wouldn't try to do anything crazy. You were pretty badly hurt and you bled all over the carpet."

"Thank you for taking care of me." I kissed the top of her head.

She cried out again, even louder this time.

"I think something's seriously wrong with you." I said. "I'm going to try to get help-"

"No!" she yelled. "Stay!"

I looked her up and down. _There was no way… but everything fit._

"I think I know what's wrong…" I said slowly.


	23. Options

**This morning I tried Vanessa's 'cold chocolate' from chapter 79 of The Rise of the Chicken. It's actually pretty okay…**

**Anyway, I'm going to kind of shift the focus of this story more to Xander and company because they were **_**supposed**_** to be the main characters… and then I got sidetracked by Raven and Valerie. **

**Laura**

Otto sighed as I hung another hanger off of his arm. "Really? This is the one thing you wanted? An all-expenses-paid shopping spree? Where I get to be the clothes rack?"

"Shut up, or I'll force feed you jalapeño pretzel again." Shelby waved the bag threateningly.

Otto rolled his eyes and took the shoe box I handed him.

Then everything went silent.

I don't know about you, but I find it a very odd thing when the mall on a Friday afternoon suddenly goes silent. I looked around.

Everyone was _frozen._

"What the actual _heck_?" Shelby said loudly. She turned around. "Emily? Aaron?"

Both of Shelby's six-month-old twins were frozen in their stroller. I could see from the expression in Shelby's eyes that she was about ten seconds from full-on panic, so I grabbed her arm.

"I'm going to call Raven." I said. There was no answer. I tried Lucy. "Everyone's frozen." I told her.

"And we've got a &*( ing massacre on our hands at the moment!" Lucy bellowed. "I'll get to it when I &*( ing get to it!"

"O-kay…" I hung up, then turned to Shelby. "Let's head back to the house."

###

Lucy jammed the phone back into her pocket. She heard footsteps. "Run!" she hissed to Nigel. But he was frozen.

She sighed, and leaned forward to whisper in his ear. "Wouldn't it be _great_ to have a couple of little versions of me running around?"

Nigel shook his head mutely.

"Well…" Lucy moved his hand over her stomach. "Guess what?"

Nigel took off running.

###

**Raven**

"I think you might be pregnant." Nero said quietly.

"That's not possible." I said.

"These things happen, Natalya." Nero stroked my hair. "It's not your fault."

"No, I mean _that's not physically possible._" I took off the strip of cloth I had tied around the gunshot wound. It was soaked with blood. Again. "The last time we… you know… was when I was still pregnant with Valerie. And you can't carry two babies who were conceived at different times."

"I don't know…" Nero said. "There's been some pretty weird stuff going on around here…"

And then all of the sudden I remembered something…

Valerie could be Nero's daughter… she probably was. But at the same time… there was another possibility of who had fathered her….


	24. Silvy

Valerie giggled as Peter tickled her stomach. Kaito looked up, annoyed. "That is the most annoying noise I've ever heard."

"She's just happy, that's all." Peter said. "Shouldn't you be happy too? You know how to clone things now because you studied that Blu woman."

"Her clone died." Kaito growled. "So clearly I'm doing _something_ wrong."

Valerie wriggled out of Peter's arms. Peter dived to catch her, but she didn't fall. She floated in the air. She giggled at her wonderful trick, then started moving towards Kaito.

"What are you doing?" Kaito said.

Valerie giggled, then vanished.

###

Silvy gritted her teeth, staring at her son. _It just had to be you, didn't it?_

She drew her knife and started towards him. "You are a fool, Peter."

He looked up, his eyes clouded by Kaito's spell.

"Do you want to know who your father was?" Silvy continued. "He was a thief and a murderer and when I was fifteen he kidnapped my and made my have you and your sister. And then he tried to kill me when he got bored of me." She glared at him. They were only a few feet from each other now. "I was always terrified that you would turn out like him. You killed Svetlana, didn't you? Your precious sister's only child."

Peter remained expressionless.

"Fine. If I can't convince you with words-"

She didn't have to make the first move, because he did, grabbing her and shoving her against the wall. She twisted away from him easily and kicked him in the stomach. As he doubled over she grabbed his shoulders and slammed him easily into the floor. Before he could get up she pinned him down with the knife to his throat. But there was no need- he was unconscious.

She entered the door. Overlord was leaning over the dark haired woman stroking her hair. For a moment, she thought he was being creepy but there was a look of genuine concern on his face.

"Where is she?" she demanded.

"Where is who?" Overlord stood up. "Who are you? What do you want?!"

"The girl, the-"

"Meepa!"

I turned around and saw a flying baby.

"Oh." said Overlord. "That."


	25. Love Bites

**Raven**

"Tell me about Valerie." I said.

"About Valerie?" Nero frowned. "Well… she was almost nine pounds when she was born, which is why you had such a hard time. She liked yellow things… and fuzzy things. And when she likes you, she bites you."

"Bites… you?"

"Yes- I believe you've experienced her 'love bites'." He ruffled my hair.

"I thought she just hated me…" I whispered.

"She can't _hate_ anyone at her age." Nero said. "She's still got a child's innocence-"

All of the sudden, I jumped up. "OOOOWWWWIEEEE!"

"What?" Nero asked.

"SOMEONE FREAKING BIT MY BUTT!" I bellowed, swatting at it. Something went flying off. Thankfully, Nero caught it. Did I mention how I can always count on him?

"Valerie?!" I grabbed her from Nero. "Oh my god!"

"I bet she's hungry…" Nero opened his desk drawer. "I think I have I have water and food in here."

I felt badly sick still, but I choked down the food. I held Valerie and tried to keep it from coming up again. "I love you." I whispered as I rocked her back and forth. She laughed, then tugged on my chest. "Sorry, I don't have any milk yet… but I'm working on it."  
It took a little while, but Valerie was finally able to get her meal. She drank so hungrily that she made tiny cuts with her teeth, drinking my blood along with her milk. But I didn't mind.

"You two are sweet to see together." said a voice. I looked up and saw a woman in a blood red leather jacket standing at the door. "How old is she?"

"Four months… almost five months." I hugged Valerie to my chest. _There's no way I'm ever going let you go again, Valerie. You won't be joining your sister until after I do._

She smiled, then bit me.

I sighed. "Okay, little one. I think you need some sleep." I tried to pry her away from me but she clung to me tightly and began to wail.

"Overlord came to find Blu." The woman said. "I guess he really loves her. And he… killed everyone he could find. Kaito took Blu so he could clone Valerie. But it didn't work out. The one who died- that was the clone. And now… I don't know what's going on. Hopefully, they'll kill each other and we won't have to do anything."

Valerie cuddled up against my cheek, her milk smell making me sleepy. I sighed. "Yeah… that would be nice… but I doubt that that's what's going to happen…"


	26. Goodbye?

"Natalya." Nero looked grim. He had removed the bloody bandage from around his middle and was looking down at the damaged area. "I think it's infected."

I looked at it. Red streaks. _Damn_ it!

"I've lost so much blood- I don't think I'll be able to fight it." Nero said. He was speaking softly and gently, like he was trying to ease me into the idea that he might have to leave me.

"Shut up." I hissed. "Don't talk that way. Haven't you ever heard about self-sabotage- AHHHH!"

I bent down and hurriedly grabbed at my pants, which had been pulled down to my ankles.

"Pink panties with white lace?" Jacob said. "A curious choice for the world's deadliest assassin. I wonder what you've got on up top-"

Nero pulled me closer to him. I glared at Jacob. "Er… what's up with the crowd of kids?"

Dimitri shrugged. "We're still alive… so we got dragged along."

Tolya nodded. He, Jessa and Max were standing behind Jacob, Jessa red faced and Max trying not to laugh. Honestly. You'd think Jacob was still in middle school the way he acted.

"Oh, come on." Jacob said to Nero. "Tell me you didn't enjoy that."

I had fixed my pants by now. "If you say yes I will kill you." I grunted.

"She's a ninja assassin Barbie." Jacob continued like he hadn't heard me.

"A-a what?!" I spluttered.

"Mm… I guess that's right?" Nero laughed. "Especially here- and here- and here-"

"Oh, not you too." I growled, pulling myself away from his hands.

"Can I dress you up?" Jacob caressed my cheek. "And stick you in a pink plastic car?"

"You are _both_ idiots!" I yelled. I flopped down onto Nero's desk with a sigh and stroked Valerie's hair.

"You know, they even have a pregnant Barbie, right?" Jacob said.

"How do you know that I'm-"

"Psychic intuition." Jacob said lazily. Then he frowned. "I think you're plaything's hurt."

"My _plaything_?! Are you referring to Max?"

"Well, you don't really love him, do you?"

I brushed off the question, even though it hurt. Not now, when Nero could still hear me. I shook Nero's shoulders and he opened his eyes. "What the hell!? Don't pass out on me like that! You scared me!"

"I didn't mean to." He smiled and kissed my neck. "Natalya… I think I'm dying."

"SHUT UP!" I yelled, shoving him away from me. He stumbled and nearly fell over. I grabbed him and pulled him close to me and Valerie before he could be hurt.

"You can't do anything." Nero smiled. "You-"

"I WON'T LET YOU!" I screamed.

"Nata-"

"Your children need you." I begged. "I-I-"

"You what?" He prompted.

"I… don't want to take care of them alone." I stood up. "Come on. We've got to go."


	27. Escaping

Lucy was practically dragging Nigel though the corridors full of bodies and frozen people. He had gone from full-out panic to stunned disbelief. Which would have been okay except that they kind of needed to be moving. Fast.

"Lucy? Is that being you?"

Lucy recognized the voice immediately, not only because of the accent but because it sounded as though the person talking had his mouth full, probably of some sort of pastry.

"You raided the kitchen, didn't you?" She turned around to glare at Franz. "Those supplies could have made the difference between life and death in a-"

"Lucy, let it go." Ben said. He was standing next to Gabby, who was bleeding from a head wound and looked pretty ticked off. She managed to hold in whatever she was bursting to say for about five seconds, then bellowed. "WHY DIDN'T YOU TELL US ABOUT THE BABY?!"

"Because I knew you were all going to flip out." Lucy waved her hand dismissively. "Don't worry I'm fine. And if Nigel goes into a shock-induced coma, we can wake him up. Now we've got to get out of here-"

"Shouldn't we find the headmaster first?" Ben suggested.

"Right." Lucy said, glowering. "That was exactly what I-"

"The headmaster is right here." Nero said. He sounded exhausted and he was being propped up by Raven and … Jacob.

"Oh." said Lucy. She dipped her head. "Good to see you, sir. Now we've got to go-"

"Can we go over the whole me being shot thing?" Nero said.

"No. Man up, soldier. We need to move." Lucy pointed down the hall. "The hangar's that way. If Ben stays behind as a sacrifice we can get the crater open for long enough to escape-"

"Didn't we already prove a couple of stories ago that I can open the crater from my blackbox inside the Shroud?" Ben demanded. "And why is it suddenly okay to sacrifice _me_?"

"I am thinking we should be making a raid on the kitchen first." Franz said. "We may never get another opportunity like this mmmmph mmm! Mmmmmm!"

Lucy took her hand off his mouth. "Did you just _bite_ me?"

###

Jessa was torn. The escape had worked, even if it was a little squishy. But now what the really needed to do was to get Nero to tell them where to go… but Nero had shut himself in the cargo area with Raven and she didn't really want to go inside.

Lucy came up behind her and banged on the door. "You decent?"

"Luchia Delestelle, if you come in here I-"

Lucy opened the door. Raven gave a startled scream and dumped something all over Nero.

"Great, there goes my soup." Nero glared at Lucy. "Honestly, with that amount of nerve you're either going to become head of the council or die prematurely because you pissed off the wrong person."

"Let's shoot for the first one." Lucy frowned. "Er, was she _spoon-feeding _you?"

"I'm _injured._" Nero said, affronted.

Valerie giggled and twisted in her father's arms. "Da!"

Raven frowned. "Did you-"

"Dada!" Valerie continued, rubbing her head against Nero's chest.


	28. Zoey's Piano

Blu woke up.

She was lying on a hospital bed in what looked like a recently destroyed building. She looked around. A girl with green hair, a boy with white hair and a baby were lying on separate beds next to her.

"Hey." said a voice. Overlord was next to her, slowly stroking the bangs off her forehead. Next to him were One, carrying Four, and Three.

"Where's Two?" she mumbled.

"I killed her and dissected her." Overlord said calmly.

Blu sat up. "What the _hell?!_"

"Is something wrong?"

"Why would you do a sick thing like that?!" Blu hissed through gritted teeth. Tears started blurring her vision.

"I don't know." Overlord said. He seemed at a loss of what to say. "You… seem to be having a glitch, Blu. Maybe I should update your programming-"

"I'm a person- I have _feelings _not glitches." Blu snarled. _I want Otto! Not you!_

_I never wanted to be a freak!_

###

Zoe closed her eyes when she felt the hand around her wrist again. _No… just let me sleep…_

"I don't think so." Kaito hauled her into consciousness. "Now play for me."

They were in a room she didn't recognize, empty except for a black grand piano.

"I don't know how to play the piano." Zoe protested.

"Yes you do." He lay his hand on her shoulder. "I taught you, remember?"

_She jumped down from the bench and ran towards Max. "What is it?!"_

"_It's Merrin. Merrin and her daughter!" Max yelled. But he didn't seem scared- he seemed elated, actually._

"_Is-"_

"_Eight pounds exactly." Max hugged Zoey. "She's fine. Both of them are fine!" He laughed. _

She lay her fingers over the keys and started on a melody that she didn't know how she knew. Kaito smiled and leaned against the other side of the piano. "See? I told you so."

"My name is Zoey Furan." She breathed. _My sister's name is Anastasia. My brother is Pietor. My mother is Svatlana. Anastasia killed her when I was born. Kaito took us. Anastasia betrayed us and took Pietor with her. I was all alone. I gave birth to my daughter-to Max's daughter. I couldn't raise her. I gave her to Pietor, to Anastasia, to their sick house of torture. She grew up. I came back later. I tried to save my brother. He betrayed me and Anastasia killed me and then… the Montov girl brought us all back as Peter, Ana and Zoe Fabyan. _

_But… _"Why?" she said aloud.

###

"Oh my god…" Nero hugged Valerie. "You're a genius! My daughter is a genius!"

"Probably not your daughter, then." Lucy muttered.

Nero ignored her. I smiled and ruffled Valerie's hair. "What's my name, Val?"

She screwed up her little face in concentration, then burst out. "Duck!"

_Duck?!_


	29. Cuts

Otto woke up. The light at the desk was on, and he could see a figure sitting there- Laura. He walked over quietly. Then he cried out.

Laura jumped, dropping the pocketknife she had been making neat, methodical slices in her wrist with. She shrieked as it dug into her chest just above her collar bone. Otto tore it out. "What are you _doing_?!"

Laura looked at him with wide blank eyes. Otto forced her to her feet and pulled her into him. _"Stop!_"

Laura swallowed, then looked calmly at her bleeding wrists. "It hurts." She said in a monotone.

"Here." Otto went out into the hall to get the bandages. As he was pulling them down from the shelf, he heard the doorbell.

_What the heck? It's three in the morning. _

Lucy was standing on the door step. Without a word, she barged past Otto. Raven, Nero, Jacob, Nigel, Gabby, Jessa, Max, Dimitri, Tolya, Ben and Franz followed.

"What is this, some kind of stampede?" Otto muttered. He grabbed Raven's arm. "Can I talk to you? In private?"

Raven frowned at him, looking him up and down. "Sure, I guess."

He led her into the kitchen. "Laura was cutting her wrists earlier." Otto said. "She's really depressed and I don't know what to do."

"Because of Bryony and Iris?" Raven asked.

"That's the only thing I can think of." Otto said. "She was fine earlier… but now…" He sighed. "She's upstairs. Can you please go talk to her?"

"Sure." Raven looked uncomfortable. "Er… do you have a home pregnancy test anyway around here?"

"Are you having 'problems', again?" Otto asked, smirking.

"Max is hot for an old guy." Raven said defensively.

"Definitely problems." Otto muttered.

###

Nero tugged Valerie away from Shelby. "Uh… I don't think babies like being flopped around that much…"

"No, she loves it!" Shelby smiled. "Don't you, Vally?"

Valerie burst into tears, pressing herself into her father's shirt. Nero grunted as she kicked him in the gunshot wound. "Da?" Valerie asked questioningly.

"She could be saying yes in Russian." Ben pointed out.

"Are you going to be like your mum then?" Nero asked, tickling her under her chin.

Valerie laughed, then bit him. Nero looked around as Otto entered the room. "Where's Natalya?"

"She had, um, a girl emergency." Otto said.

"Oh." Nero said. "Well, then."

Was it just him or was it getting really hot in here? He leaned back on the couch. Valerie squirmed, tugging on the color of his shirt, increasingly frantic. "Da! Da! Da!"

"Oh, and congratulations in advance." Otto said. His voice got loud and soft and he faded in and out of focus. "Raven-"

But whatever Raven was would have to wait until later as he collapsed onto the floor nearly crushing Valerie as blood soaked his shirt.


	30. Awake Again

**Raven**

"Hey, Max." I smiled down at him as he finally opened his eyes.

"I don't want any cheese buns, Scarlett…" he mumbled, rolling over.

"Your daughter's here." I said gently.

Nero's eyes focused as he spotted Valerie. _Oh, sure, he comes out of la-la land for _her… I poked him in the shoulder. "Hey! Wake up!"

"Natalya… what happened?" he mumbled.

"I gave you surgery." I said. "To get the bullet out. And then I got elected to give you a bath. Feel free to thank me at any time."

"Thank you…" Nero sat up slowly. "And then what did you do, use me as target practice?"

"No, that was the whole getting shot thing." I kissed his forehead. "Do you feel better then before?"

"No." he grunted. "And why is it so _hot_ in here…?"

"He's got a fever." Laura said. She was sitting at the end of his bed. I'd talked to her and I thought it had helped a little… but she still seemed gloomy. "I would suggest that you take him to the hospital. He's nearly at 105 degrees…"

"Celsius?!" I spluttered, grabbing at Nero's hand.

"No, Fahrenheit." Lucy rolled her eyes. "His brain would have melted if it was that high!"

"I think it already did." Nero mumbled, rolling over.

"I'm leaving to appeal to G.L.O.V.E. for help in an hour." Lucy said. "And… I don't think Nero's going to come with us."

"Mmmmmmrrr." Nero said into his pillow.

"Definitely melted." I flicked Nero in the forehead. "Hey, pay attention. This bit is important."

"If we can get their support we can get rid of Overlord… and Kaito… and whoever else attacked us." Lucy yawned. "Nigel, can you go get me some medicine for my stomach, please?"

We all stared at her.

"Please?" I frowned. "Geez, what are those hormones doing to you, Lucy?"

"They're SLOWLY MURDERING ME." Lucy hissed. "So GET ME MY TYLONEL, &^*^ IT."

Nigel scampered off.

"Please." Lucy added as soon as he was out the door.

Nero grunted. I turned back to him. "Are you okay?"

"No." Nero mumbled. "Come here."

Valerie and I climbed into bed next to him.

"Why are we not frozen?" I asked.

"Well, we all knew Vanessa, didn't we?" Ben said. "Except for Valerie, and she's directly related... and Jessa. But other then that…"

"That would be making sense." Franz said slowly.

"And now I think Raven and Nero want some _alone_ time." Shelby said, elbowing me. "So she can tell him…"

"Tell me what?" Nero asked.

"And I'll take the baby, she'll only get in the way." Laura said with a knowing smile. She was more alive then she'd been all day, even though she was teasing me.

As they left, Nero looked at me. "So…?"

"The baby's due in about a week, and it's a boy." I said, squeezing his hand.

"Natalya…" Nero smiled. "That's great. Now I just have to live long enough to see it."

"Well, if you are going to die, we shouldn't waste a minute." I said.

Nero frowned.

"Lose the suit." I translated.

"No, I'm too tired." He pecked my cheek.

"That was pathetic." I growled.

"I just want to sleep."

"But if you go to sleep you might not wake up!" I said nervously.

"You think I don't know that?" Nero hissed.


	31. Raven and Jacob

Zoey looked down at herself and saw that she had changed from a girl to a woman. She stood up from the piano but Kaito grabbed her arm. "You aren't going anywhere. Now why did G.L.O.V.E. freeze its own people?"

"G.L.O.V.E. didn't freeze anyone." Zoey said.

"I know that they had the technol-"

"Overlord stole it." Zoey wrenched away from him. "Now leave me ALONE."

"How do I unfreeze them?" he demanded.

"I don't know!" Zoey yelled. "Why would I know?! I'm just a student-"

"Favian, Xander and Jinx will die if-"

"You can't kill frozen people."

He leaned closer. "Want to bet?"

She did not.

###

**Raven**

Nero fell asleep a little while after that. I crawled out of bed and let myself out the window onto the back deck. It was raining. I sat on the porch swing and stared off into space.

"Peculiar place to meditate."

"Tell someone who cares, Jacob."

"Do you care about your headmaster boyfriend?" He sat down next to me and leaned close. "Or is that just a ruse to keep yourself safe?"

Without thinking I smashed my mouth to his, putting one arm around his neck. "Is that a good enough answer for you?" I hissed in his ear.

"Not the one I was expecting." He pulled me into him and I curled against his chest. "But I suppose it's okay…"

"Did you know she wasn't me?" I asked.

"Know what?" He slid his hand underneath my shirt.

"That Vanessa Winters and I were different people." I demanded. "Did you see that?"

"Yes." he said quietly.

He had seen it, but no one else had? Not even Nero, who'd been in love with me then? Wait a minute, what did that mean about Jacob?!

"I knew it when she said she knew how she felt about me. When she did this with me because she liked me, not because she was confused about her love life."

"What, you want me to leave, then?"

"No." Jacob said. "Of course not."


	32. Under Attack

**Raven**

Jacob yawned as I sat up. "Do you know where I put my shirt?"

"Why would I know?" I tugged my shirt back over my head.

"Oh, there it is." He grabbed the one I'd just put on and ripped it off me. "Thanks, Natalya."

"Geez." I buried my head in his chest. "Eager, much?"

"What are you doing?"

I looked up to see Otto. "Cheating on Nero, what did you think I was doing?"

Clearly that was the wrong thing to say. Otto's face went white and slack.

"Well, it's been fun." Jacob said, standing up. As he walked away, Otto stared at me in disbelief.

"_Why_ would you betray him like that?! He _loves_ you!"

"Yeah, and it's unrequited." I rolled my eyes. "Mind your own business, will you?"

"Meeeeow."

I looked down and saw the small pathetic figure of a bloodstained cat. "Isn't he Laura's?"

Otto picked him up. "Yes. What's wrong, General Franks?"

"I failed…" the cat meowed. To my shock, I could understand him. "I… she…"

Otto dropped the fuzz ball on my lap and ran off into the house. I tossed the cat onto the swing besides me and took off after him.

I entered the house and instantly knew something was wrong. The smell of blood was heavy in the air. Dimitri lay on the floor, his eyes empty. His twin was a few feet away, curled up in a last act to defend himself. Gabby clutched at Ben's still body, her blond hair matted with blood.

I heard Otto yelling and followed the sound into the kitchen. Laura was curled up around Daphne, bullet wounds in a line up the side of her shirt. Otto pulled her into his lap. "Laura? Laura! Answer me!"

She opened her eyes slowly. "STOP!" she screamed, clinging to her infant daughter's body. "SHE'S FINE- SHE'S JUST SLEEPING-"

Terror shot through me. Valerie was upstairs sleeping. What if something had happened to her?! I took the stairs four at a time, and ran into Nero's bedroom. A man was standing over him with a knife. Without thinking, I tackled him. Nero cried out as the knife drove into his arm but I couldn't think about that as the man and I collapsed to the floor, grappling desperately with each other. Suddenly I froze and gasped as Valerie's brother kicked me so hard I couldn't breathe. The man took advantage of this and pinned me to the wall, holding a gun to my head.

"Kaito!" I hissed.

"Hello." He smiled at me. "Remember what good times we used to have together?"

"Let her go!"

Nero had stumbled to his feet. He was bleeding badly from where Kaito had cut him on the arm.

"No- Max, I can handle this myself-" I gasped as another kick took my breath away. _Great, I'm being attacked from the inside and out. _

Kaito laughed. "Say goodbye to your boyfriend?"


	33. Technicailities

Lucy was eating whipped cream with a spoon, which Otto didn't question or bother to worry about. He was helping Laura to the couch and trying to count the bullet holes in her side.

"I know how they did it." Lucy said.

"Did what?" said Otto, pulling off Laura's shirt.

"Froze everyone, duh."

"Well, we've sort of got multiple crises going on here." She'd been hit at least five times, and one of the bullets looked dangerously close to her lungs.

"It was my locket."

"Aren't you supposed to have it?"

Lucy sighed. "It's complicated. I can't have it right now because _technically _it doesn't belong to me anymore. It belongs to my baby, but obviously that doesn't really work. And only the owner can touch it. And then Blu went and stole it. So it looks like Overlord stopped time."

"What, so we're in danger because of a magically technicality?"

Lucy pouted. "I love technicalities!"

###

**Raven**

I wrenched away from Kaito and threw myself in front of Nero. "No way."

He snarled, then grabbed me and hurled both of us out the window. It was a twelve foot fall onto a brick patio, and I ended up on the bottom. I rolled onto my side, spitting up blood. Kaito seemed to have gotten the better end of the deal and stood up immediately, setting his boot on my chest. But he wasn't Kaito anymore. He was a she, a figure I knew all too well, the girl who'd stolen my face.

I forced myself to my feet. "_Why_ aren't you dead?"

"Why aren't you?" she countered. "You deserve to be, with everything you've done. You killed your own daughter."

Two years ago that would have made me drop to the ground and start whimpering. But now I just let it go in one ear and out the other. "Yeah, so maybe I've screwed up. But at least I'm not a dirty rotten traitor."

"Last time I checked killing someone on your own side qualifies you as a dirty rotten traitor." she spat.

Wait a minute. Didn't Nero say it had been his brother Bartholomew who had kidnapped me? And he'd died, hadn't he? And Nero hated him…

"You can quit it with the illusion now." I said confidently. "I know what you're up to."

Vanessa's face slowly shifted back into Kaito's, giving me a moment to prepare myself. "Very clever, Raven." He grabbed me and swung me into the side of the house, causing me to cough more blood. He slammed his fist into my stomach. The resulting kick made me gasp.

"Could you please not do that? I don't want to be beat up by two people."

"Shut up." he said. And then he slit my throat.


	34. Silenced

_She lay in the snow with blood trickling from her forehead where she'd been shot-_

No, she was on the concrete patio pressed against the wall and on her knees, clutching at her throat.

_Where was her daughter? A tiny infant wouldn't survive for long out in this freezing weather. Natalya could barely crawl._

No, it _was_ Merrin's daughter. She was the one he needed to save. Her mother was long gone. He leaned out the window as far as he dared-

"Da!"

He turned to see Valerie sitting on the windowsill next to him. She held out her chubby had and he took it. The next thing he knew, they were down on the ground by Natalya.

He pulled Raven into his arms and mopped blood from her neck. "Natalya…"

Jessa darted out of nowhere and stood in front of them, but not protectively. It was more like she didn't even notice that they were there.

"Who was that woman?" she demanded.

"The woman?" Kaito sounded bored. "How could you see that if you don't even know her name?"

"I- I think… I think I am her." Jessa whispered.

Kaito started to laugh. "Wow. That is just hilarious. You know there are people who are like the dead, right? Allyssa Summers, for example?"

"Then she had nothing to do with Vanessa?" Nero asked.

"No, she was just a red herring." Kaito sighed. "You honestly thought that she was Vanessa? That's pathetic. You wanted to bring her home with your girlfriend, didn't you? To make her happy."

"Yes." Nero muttered, not listening anymore. He ripped a sleeve off his shirt and tried to stop the bleeding. Raven moaned and shifted slightly, one hand flying to her stomach. Nero touched the same place and felt his son kick at his mother fiercely.

"Hey, she's got enough to deal with, okay?" he whispered.

Jessa drew a knife from a sheath on her leg. "You know something. Tell me what's going on or I'll hurt you-"

"This is my job." Silvy gently pushed Jessa aside. "I should have done this alone time ago…"

Raven opened her eyes. She opened her mouth but nothing came out.

"Don't try and talk." he said, silencing her with a careful kiss.

Valerie giggled. "Duck!"

Raven smiled and pulled her daughter to her chest. Nero stood up and looked around. Silvy and Kaito were locked in a desperate battle with each other. He was distracted by Raven. She grabbed at his hand and lay it on her side. He froze with fear as he felt the strong ripple move down her body.

"Is it the baby?" he demanded.

Raven nodded, then opened her mouth like she was going to scream, but once again no sound came out. She clutched at her throat.

"You can't speak?"

Another nod.

"Let's get you inside." Nero scooped her up and started moving her but she clung to him so desperately, her face contorted in pain, that he stopped. "Okay, we'll just stay here then."

Silvy shrieked and toppled backwards, nearly landing on Raven. Kaito kicked her towards them. "Now you fight me, Nero." He hissed.

"Only if you'll leave Natalya alone." Nero snapped.

"Really?" Kaito laughed. "Very romantic… do you know what she was doing before now?"

"No…" Nero said.

"You were getting a little too friendly with Mr. Jacobson, correct?" Kaito said.

Nero turned to Raven, expecting her to shake her head. She was crying, though he wasn't sure why.

And then she nodded.


	35. Self-Destruct

**Raven**

I couldn't believe what was happening. Nero couldn't fight Kaito! He was injured. But there was no way I could do anything to help… I couldn't do much more then lie on the floor, moan, and bleed all over the place.

Valerie seemed to be up to something. She was restless, and she kept crawling all over me, which hurt. I was just about to shove her somewhere else when someone picked me up.

"You're in labor, aren't you?" Jacob asked me gently. "Come on, we've got to get ready to go."

I shook my head, pointing at Nero.

"He'll follow us." Jacob said. "Come on!"

I shook my head harder.

Jacob tossed me lazily over his shoulder and picked up Valerie. "How're you doing? Do we need to go inside and get you some painkiller?"

I gave him a look as my body twisted so fiercely I nearly fell from Jacob's arms.

"The great Raven would never take painkiller, right?" Jacob said. "Let's go!"

This time I did fall. I hit the ground hard and the resulting kick made me black out for a split second. I started to cough and cough and cough and cough… until something wet and warm fountained from my mouth.

"Holy *&)#." Jacob literally threw me over his shoulder this time as I began to cough again. "I'm taking you to the hospital!" I started to shake my head, but it was difficult to do while throwing up. Jacob didn't seem to mind, though. I clung to him as he raced for the door.

###

Nero was busy trying to remember all the little things that Scarlett had taught him about fighting, but it all seemed to have vanished from his head. He glanced over his shoulder for a split second and saw Raven tumble from Jacob's arms and land on the ground, blood streaming from her mouth.

Kaito smiled and stopped fighting for a moment. "It seems everything's going wrong for me today." He said softly.

"Why?" Nero said, a sinking feeling in his heart.

"Did you ever wonder why she never aged after she came back?" Kaito demanded.

"Yes, and I figured it had something to do with you." Nero said.

"It did." Kaito said. "I changed her so she would look that age forever. And now it seems her body can't handle the artificial components and longer. Like Ana."

"Ana…" Nero frowned. They never had been able to figure out why Ana had died. "So… what's going to happen to her?"

"Quite simply her body is self-destructing." Kaito said. "She has a few days to live. At most."


	36. Traveling

Jinx suddenly felt something warm flood her, and she sat up. Behind her, Xander was doing the same.

Valerie Nero was perched on her lap. Jinx stood up. "Where are we?"

Three children sitting on a cot a few feet away all turned around at the same time. They were different ages, but they were all identical. Jinx felt a chill go down her spine. She grabbed Valerie in one arm and Xander in the other and started running.

The next thing she knew she was in a living room full of dead people.

###

**Xander**

I looked up just in time to see my father knock my mum unconscious. He looked guiltily at me. "I can't deal with this right now." he said softly.

Then Jinx grabbed my arm. Max was next to her. "There's some sort of battle going on outside! We have to help!"

As we burst out into the backyard, I saw Dr. Nero and a red haired woman both lying on the ground and bleeding badly. Kaito seemed to be… slowly vanishing. In his hand was a gold locket.

Jessa, who had already been there, dove for him and grabbed his ankle. Without thinking, I did the same, snatching at the hem of Jessa's dress.

And then the world was snatched away in a flash of light.

###

I was lying on… gravel. I slowly sat up, picking it out of my chin. Jessa moaned. Jinx was already standing up. "I can see people over there!" she called, pointing down the road of gravel.

Max looked around. "I think it's a track."

"A track?"

"Yeah, it's a circle." Max frowned. "Maybe we're at a school?"

"It's cold." Jessa mumbled, shivering. "But… I've been here before."

"Me too." added Max.

"Me three." I said. It was a very faint memory but it was definitely there.

"Not-" Jinx started.

A girl ran past us. She was probably eight, with two blond ponytails. She was dressed in gray camouflage and… platform sandals? As she passed, she turned in the direction of the people at the end of the track and stuck out her tongue at the tallest figure, which earned a shower of angry curse words in another language.

Jessa swore. "I know where we are…"

###

**Raven**

Somehow, we were at a hospital and Valerie was gone. But I didn't have time to think about it, because next thing I knew someone had jammed a needle into me and I couldn't feel anything from my waist down.

I cannot tell you how good that felt.

Jacob found me. "They're going to operate on your throat."

I nodded. Then I heard a beeping noise. I looked around, trying to identify which of my machines it was coming from. It was coming from the one that showed my baby's heartbeat, and there was a flat line on the screen…

Oh no. Oh no no no no no…


	37. Grief

Nero woke up on Otto's couch. Silvy Fabyan was next to him and a man kneeled by her side. At first, he thought it was Kaito, but further inspection revealed that this ginger haired man was younger, with small features.

"Natalya?" he mumbled.

"At the hospital with Jacob." Lucy said. She tossed him a slice of apple. "Eat up, Doctor."

"How is she?"

"Terrible." Lucy leaned against Nigel. Both of them showed signs of Kaito's attack. "Anyway, G.L.O.V.E. sent troops to H.I.V.E. to get rid of Over… Ka… any unwanted super villains. So we should be able to go back today or tomorrow."

"Who's dead?" Nero asked.

"Gabby, Ben, Dimitri, Tolya and Daphne." Lucy said. "And Valerie, Max and Jessa are missing."

"Who's that guy?"

The ginger haired man stood up. "My name is F-"

"Yeah, that's General Franks in human form." Lucy cut in. "For some reason, when he touched Silvy, he got like that." She stood up and rubbed her stomach. "Dang, I feel like complete (*%^…"

"Can I see Natalya?" Nero demanded.

"No." Otto said. He was sitting in the corner holding Laura.

"Why not?" Nero snapped. "Is she having fun with Jacob again?"

"She's been in surgery for the past four hours, Max." Lucy said gently. "And they still don't know if they'll be able to stabilize her."

"What about the baby?"

"Dead." Otto said.

"What happened?" Nero asked, sitting up.

"They don't know." General Franks said. "He just suddenly died. There was probably something wrong with Raven, though. Maybe he couldn't get any oxygen or something."

"When will Natalya be out of surgery?" Nero asked.

"Soon, they hope." Otto said.

Laura slowly sat up. "Daphne?" she called out.

"She's not here, Laura." Otto whispered.

Laura slipped her hands around his throat. "We should join them."

Otto sighed. "Do I have to knock you out again?"

"No, I want to go somewhere else." Laura said. She looked at him, pleading with her eyes.

"I'm sorry." Otto said. "I can't let you do that."


	38. Past

**Raven**

This is how that day went.

I would try to talk. I might be able to manage a few words. Then I'd start to cough again, and I wouldn't be able to stop until I made myself throw up and blood came from my mouth.

Then the doctors would swarm me. They'd drag me back into the operating room and try to fix me, but nothing worked.

Eventually, they sent me home. There was nothing they could do.

Nero and I lay next to each other in Otto's bedroom, holding hands and waiting for one of us to die. But neither of us did.

Probably because we were both willing the other to stay.

###

**Thirty One Years Previously…**

_Pietor Furan glared at Aida Lily. "You're late. Do two laps."_

"_Blah, two laps is easy." She stretched her hands up above her head. "I'll do three!"_

"_Five for being so insolent." He hissed, stepping closer to her. _

"_I can do that without even breaking a sweat." she boasted._

"_And three more for…" He looked her up and down. "Improper footwear!"_

"_Why don't we just make it a round dozen, then?" Aida Lily said, rolling her eyes._

"_A baker's dozen!" Furan screamed. "NOW GO!"_

_He looked around at the other kids as Aida Lily took off. Why did she have to fight with him all the time?_

"_Sir?"_

_He glanced towards the voice. It was Raven. _

"_There are children there who don't belong." She said, pointing down the track._

_Furan frowned. "Why don't you go to them? Bring them to me. If they make trouble, knock them out."_

"_Yes, sir." she said, taking off at a run._

_###_

_Anastasia spun around as she heard the creak of floorboards. She gasped. "You!"_

_Kaito smiled, then held a finger to his lips as he stabbed her in the side. She collapsed, moaning, and he quickly knocked her out._

"_That was too ridiculously easy." He muttered._

"_SIC HIM!"_

_He blinked, confused as an orange fuzzy blur flew forward and attached itself to his face._


	39. Incomplete Education

"Excuse me?"

Max turned around to see a stunningly beautiful girl coming towards him. Her long dark hair was tied back in a messy ponytail, and her eyes were cold and blue.

She extended her arm. "Come with me, please."

"Who are you?" he asked, stepping towards her.

She ignored him. "I said come with me."

"And what if we don't want to?" Jinx demanded coolly.

Max didn't even see her move but the next think he knew there was a tiny knife at his throat and he was held in the girl's strong grip. Her fingers were icy cold, and she was tiny, her arms almost sticks from starvation.

"Okay then." Jinx said. "We'll come."

The girl smiled and released Max. "Good. Follow me. I will take you to them."

"To them?" Xander demanded.

The girl's smile only widened mysteriously.

###

**Raven**

"How did you _not_ know that you were pregnant for nine months?" Nero muttered to me.

"Amazing powers of in-observation." I shrugged. "I _really_ am not totally sure how I managed that… but I guess half of it I was carrying Valerie… so I just figured she was being stubborn…"

"But what about that… girl thing?" Nero said. "Aren't you supposed to have that every month if you aren't knocked up?"

"I haven't had one since Kaito rescued me from Anastasia." I frowned. "And what does that have to do with babies?"

Nero shrugged, blushing slightly. "I'm a boy, Natalya. I don't know that much." He frowned. "Furthermore, don't they teach you this stuff in school?"

"I didn't go to school. I was educated at Anastasia Furan's house of torture, remember?"

"And they didn't teach you _anything_?"

"No… all I knew was that it would get you executed if you had a boyfriend, so it didn't really matter…" I snuggled deeper into the sheets.

"Even though it might be applicable later in your life? Which it clearly was? I mean, we'd be in a lot less of a mess if someone had bothered to explain to you about birth control." Nero slid his arm around my waist.

"Er…" I blushed. I hated not knowing things that other people knew. "What is that, exactly?"

Nero sighed.


	40. Teasing and Tickling

Furan ordered Natalya to bring her prisoners into a cell. She followed the order and then started to leave, but the familiar- looking boy with dark hair stopped her.

"Wait!" He grabbed her arm. "What's your name?"

"Natalya." She hissed. "Now let _go_!"

He did so. "I'm Max."

They stared at each other for a moment. He looked distracted, mesmerized, even-

"Natalya."

The voice came threw her earpiece, making her jump. "Yes, Madame?" she said, switching to Russian.

"Hu…rry."

Natalya frowned as the hairs on the back of her neck prickled. Something was wrong, seriously wrong. She darted around and started running. She wasn't scared for Anastasia's sake, but for her own.

Somehow, deep down inside, she knew that whoever was here was looking for her.

###

**Raven**

Jacob barged into our bedroom. He was covering his eyes, which would have been a nice gesture if he hadn't been staring straight at me through the gap between his fingers.

"Hello." He said. "You two decent?"

"You should know, as you're peeking." I grunted.

"True." He pulled his hand away from his face. "What's your bra size, Raven?"

I frowned at him. "Tell me, Jacob, are you human or are you secretly a perverted alien from planet Middle School Boy?"

"You'll have to get to know me better and figure it out." Jacob said. He sat down on the edge of the bed and leaned towards me. I opened my mouth to yell at him, and he _licked the inside of it._

"WHAT THE HECK!?" I spluttered.

"D." said Nero.

"D?" Jacob looked me up and down. "I thought it would be bigger than that. You disappoint me, Tally."

I crossed my arms. "That's it. No way am I dealing with all this teasing. I'm leaving." I started to stand up but Nero tickled the bottom of my foot and I collapsed, shrieking.

"So that's your weakness?" Nero said teasingly, shifting his hands up to my sides.

"STOP… IT!" I gasped, breathless.

"But it's fun to watch you squirm." Jacob said teasingly.

"No… STOP PLEASE IT _HURTS!_" I screamed.

"Natalya?" Nero immediately stopped and pulled me into his arms. "Where does it hurt?"

Too breathless to speak, I grabbed his hand and moved it over the spot where my baby had been.

"We're going back to H.I.V.E." Lucy said, entering the room. "Then you'll be able to rest."

I forced the blood rising into my mouth back down, and nodded. Nero looked at me, concerned, but then Jacob pulled me to my feet.

"Come on, Tally. Don't be a slowpoke."


	41. Blu's End

When we got into the Shroud that was waiting for us, we discovered Valerie waiting for us in the passenger area. Upon seeing us, she promptly screamed 'duck' and 'da' for at least a minute before cramming both her feet in her mouth and looking happily up at us as if to say. "Well? Pick me up and feed me already."

Nero did so, starting to hand her to me but I shook my head. "There's something I have to do first."

I went over to Laura. She was sitting next to Otto. I took a seat next to her and took her hand in mine. Her blank gaze focused on me for a few seconds.

I smiled at her, then pulled back my sleeve and exposed the four thin lines permanently cut into my left wrist.

Laura's eyes widened.

"You have to talk to people." I said. "Or nothing will ever change. It'll help, I promise."

Laura looked down at her lap. "Can I talk to you?" she mumbled.

I smiled.

###

The pain was sudden and sharp, knocking Blu hurriedly into a sitting position. Overlord was immediately at her side.

"Are you all right?" One asked. She stood next to her father, her arms stiffly at her sides.

"Yes, I think so." Blu stood up again. "I will not die from a little pain."

"Good." Overlord said.

They were hiding, her, him and their three children together in a deserted conference room. She wasn't sure why. Wouldn't it be better to escape and make a new plan? But she wasn't going to argue with what Overlord ordered her.

It hit her again, and this time she fell over onto the floor, nearly crushing Four, who was only two.

"You are not alright." He lifted her up and set her on the bed, touching her forehead. "You do not have a fever, though. Where does it hurt?"

"Everywhere." Blu grunted.

"One." Overlord turned to the oldest girl, who had recently stopped growing at the rate her sisters did. "Go and find me an… emergency medicine kit thingy…"

One nodded. Overlord leaned over Blu and examined her. Suddenly, his expression grew very concerned.

"What is it?" Blu demanded.

"I believe… you are in labor." Overlord said.

"That's ridiculous." Blu said.

"It's also the only thing that makes sense." Overlord kissed her forehead. "Don't worry, you'll be fine."

Less then thirty minutes later, she stopped breathing.


	42. Ambitions

Vanessa slipped into Anastasia's office and smiled down at the woman lying on the floor. "Finally got what you deserved, huh?"

Anastasia moaned. Vanessa shrieked as she felt a hand grab her from behind and another over her mouth.

"Let's see… a Furan and a Winters. Which should I use you for? Well, I've already got a Furan… so I guess you get to be Death."

Vanessa squirmed frantically, but whoever it was held her tightly. "Now where can I get the others? Jinx Nero is a Nero, obviously, so I'll have to get back to the future to find her. And… lastly is Montov. There's one of them running around her at this very moment. Again, simple. I should have done this a million years ago." He smiled. "Now, you get the honor of being the first to die."

Vanessa squirmed frantically.

"You can't kill her."

He looked up. "And why on earth would that be, Miss Montov? I thought you hated Miss Winters here."

"I do, but she's my rival and _I _want to kill her." Natalya said, crossing her arms.

"Lovely." Kaito smiled. "Then if you want the pleasure, I suggest you come with me."

###

In her haste to exit, the girl had left the door open.

Max sighed as he stared at the girl's retreating back.

"Someone's in love." Xander said coolly.

"In love?" Max avoided Jinx's steely gaze. "I am not-"

"Oh, please, it's written all over your face what you want to do with her." Xander said, rolling his eyes.

Max flushed and started out of the door. "We don't have time for this. Come on. Let's go find Kaito and give him what he deserves."

###

**Raven**

"I didn't know you cut your wrist." Nero said.

"Yeah, like I'd tell you." I laughed. "I can't wait to be home." I snuggled up against him. "It seems to be taking forever to get back there already."

"There's something going on with you." Nero said. "When they gave you surgery… there was barely anything for them to correct at all. You healed yourself, Natalya. And… I think your body might have decided that the baby was bad for you and got rid of it."

"But…" I sighed. "I wanted to have your baby, Max."

"Really?"

"Yes." I said.

"Well, then." He put an arm around my waist. "I should probably help you with that."

"Cargo bay's over there." Lucy said offhandedly. "We'll leave you lovebirds alone. Now get out of our hair."

"If you insist." I said, standing up.

"I do." Lucy snatched Valerie from me. "Now _go._"

"I wonder why they're so anxious about getting us out of here?" Nero said.

"Oh, they're probably plotting about us behind our backs." I said, rolling my eyes. "Hurry up, will you?"


	43. Pink

**I'm not totally sure if yesterday's chapter got posted or not cuz I never got a confirmation email... **

"Max! Wait up!" I dashed after Nero. "Where are you going?! Our rooms were destroyed! Nothing left!"

"Come on!" He said. "There's something I have to show you!"

He led me into a room I'd never been in before, and I don't think I could handle being in it for more than a few minutes at a time. It was a child's bedroom full of lace, pink lace, purple lace, and just plain pink.

Nero observed my expression. "Don't like it?"

I forced a smile. "It's… pink."

"It's for her." he said, pointing to Valerie. "Oh, poor thing, she's completely exhausted."

"Um." I said. "There's a dead enemy agent in her bed."

Nero looked down. Sure enough, Blu was lying on the fluffy comforter, perfectly still and surrounded by a mess of blood. Her chest was completely still, but when I approached she opened her eyes. "Ot…to?"

"Code Name?" Otto called. I hadn't noticed him, standing in the doorway.

"Otto!" She sat up, looking around at all of us. "I-I want to switch sides."

"Right." I said. "Well, the official meeting of the villains is next Thursday, so I suggest you come back then. The secret password to get into our clubhouse is 'lying, headmaster stealing b-"

"Natalya." Nero said, holding up a hand. He stared down at Blu, his expression unreadable. "Why should I let you after what you tried to pull?"

"I was under orders to kill you-"

"Kill me, not…" Nero sighed. "Fine. You can stick with us for now. Natalya, if she behaves even _slightly _suspicious, you have my permission to put a bullet through her brain."

"Okay." I marched up to Blu and poked her. "Look, did you and him-"

"No!" Blu snapped. "I told you, no! I tried but he wouldn't let me because he's freaking obsessed with his own niece! Do you know how wrong and di-"

"Enough." said Otto, taking Blu by the arm. "Come on, Code Name."

"I told you, my name is Blu!"

I sighed. "I hate her I hate her I hate her-"

"Because she tried to seduce me? Then you're going to have to add a lot of people to that list. Including yourself."

"I do not 'seduce' people!" I snapped.

"Then what do you call what happened with Overlord, _Serena Day?_"

"That was _acting. _Very good acting, if I do say so myself."

"A little too good." Nero said, rocking Valerie back and forth and staring down at her sadly.


	44. Cruel World

Vanessa slipped into Anastasia's office and smiled down at the woman lying on the floor. "Finally got what you deserved, huh?"

Anastasia moaned. Vanessa shrieked as she felt a hand grab her from behind and another over her mouth.

"Let's see… a Furan and a Winters. Which should I use you for? Well, I've already got a Furan… so I guess you get to be Death."

Vanessa squirmed frantically, but whoever it was held her tightly. "Now where can I get the others? Jinx Nero is a Nero, obviously, so I'll have to get back to the future to find her. And… lastly is Montov. There's one of them running around her at this very moment. Again, simple. I should have done this a million years ago." He smiled. "Now, you get the honor of being the first to die."

Vanessa squirmed frantically.

"You can't kill her."

He looked up. "And why on earth would that be, Miss Montov? I thought you hated Miss Winters here."

"I do, but she's my rival and _I _want to kill her." Natalya said, crossing her arms.

"Lovely." Kaito smiled. "Then if you want the pleasure, I suggest you come with me."

###

**Raven**

"Max…" I said quietly as I ay Valerie down in her pink, ruffle _bleeech _crib. "I kind of… want to have more babies."

"More babies?" Nero said. "Like, right now?"

"Yes!" I said happily. "Lots and lot-"

"Whoa there." Nero took my hand. "Neither of us are exactly spring chickens. Let's just start with one."

"Fine, fine." I said.

"First, we have to get the baby out of you. We can go to the hospital right now if you want to." Nero said. I suddenly noticed how pale she was, and remembered the deadly infection inside him.

"You know… we probably should take you to the hospital too- you don't look so hot." I kissed his forehead. "Holy crap. Did your fever go down at all from before?"

"Briefly." Nero said. "It seems to be back up again."

"No freakin' kidding. I'm going to kidnap you and force you to go to the hospital if you don't get up and move over there right this second!" I grabbed his shoulders and steered him out the door.

"Natalya, calm down. I'm not going to _die_."

"You could, if we don't stop the infection quickly." I snapped. "And you know that, you've hung around me long enough."

_He couldn't die. He just couldn't. The battle was over. Everything would be alright. The universe wouldn't spoil it all with another death, would it?_


	45. Unfair

One looked up as Peter entered the room. She made herself very still. He was carrying a little toddler girl with blond hair and gray eyes. He went over to a door at the end of the room and opened it. Peter took a step forward and vanished from view.

One crept over towards where he had vanished. She saw something- a door, with things written on it in another language. She reached out to touch it… and her hand vanished.

The next thing she knew, she was yanked forward onto the other side.

###

Jessa peeked through the window. She saw the man from before- and somehow she knew his name, Furan- pinning the blond girl who had been running laps against a wall. Jessa's stomach twisted as she realized what was going on. Before she knew what she was doing, she burst through the door as Xander yelled "WAIT!"

"Let go of her!" Jessa bellowed, slamming her fist into Furan's shoulder as hard as she could. He whipped around, grabbed her arms and pushed her into the wall in the other girl's place. The other girl was startlingly young, only about ten. Her stomach twisted again, and she was sick on Furan's shoes.

"Who are you?" Furan demanded.

"I-I-"

"She's mine."

Furan turned around and saw Kaito. He grabbed Jessa's arms and pulled her into him. "Come here, girl."

Jessa tried to fight, scratching and clawing at Kaito but he was too strong. He snapped his fingers and she was suddenly paralyzed. He lay her down on the floor.

"I don't actually need you…" he said. He looked around. "Ah, there's your little friends."

He snapped his fingers again. She heard Jinx cry out. Xander was next to her then, and Max and Jinx were on the other side of the courtyard. Both of them were suddenly dressed in white silk. Kaito smiled.

"Now I just need the other two, and we'll be ready…"

"Ready for what?" Jinx demanded.

"If I kill you, Max, Kisa and her-" He pointed to Vanessa Winters, who was lying unconscious near Max and Jinx. "-then _she_ will return."

"She?" Jessa whispered.

"Vanessa Montov."

###

**Raven**

I looked up as the door to our hospital room suddenly banged shut. Nero frowned. "What in the-"

He suddenly fell back onto the pillows. I gasped as I turned to see Overlord in the doorway. His arms were covered in blood up to his elbows and he stared at Nero like he'd never hated anyone more in his life.

"I don't think it's fair-" he hissed through gritted teeth. "-that you get to live happily ever after with the girl you love and I don't…"


	46. I Will Be Okay

**Laura**

Now that I realized it, my life had been hell since Xander was born. After we'd returned to H.I.V.E., I tried to be happy with Otto and my son, but I had such a hard time. I couldn't take care of Xander properly and be a student at H.I.V.E. Honestly, I didn't want to go back. Everyone was whispering about me behind my back. Three months after retuning, I found I was carrying another baby. I killed it before Otto knew. It happened twice more before Otto caught on to what I was doing and stopped me the fourth time. Iris was born. I had to quit school. Bryony was born. I was happy with Otto for a while, but then…

"Laura?"

"I'm here." I stood up. It was Lucy. "What?"

"Your irritating little friend is here." Lucy said. "And she brought her entire clan."

"Her entire-" I sighed. "Oh. Shelby." She'd had another baby just a couple of weeks ago.

"Yes, her." Lucy sighed irately. "Go collect her, will you?"

I reached the hanger a few minutes later. Shelby smiled broadly. "There you are!" She grabbed my arm and dragged me into the Shroud where Wing was fast asleep holding a newborn baby girl. His hair had been braided with pink ribbons.

"He fell asleep." Shelby giggled. I smiled.

"What's her name?" I asked, gesturing to the baby.

"Crystal."

Crystal. Daphne. Iris. Bryony. A shiver went down my spine. But I shook it off.

_I will be okay._

###

**Raven**

"What did you do to him?!" I screamed. I shook Nero by the shoulders. His eyes opened.

"I haven't down anything. It's your own fault for not protecting him." Overlord came all the way into the room. He shut the door and locked it with a final-sounding click.

I stood up. Overlord grabbed my hand. He shoved me against the wall. _No. No. Not again…_

"You wanted to get rid of this?" He jabbed me in the stomach. "Fine."

He pulled a knife from somewhere and pain exploded down my side. I gasped as Overlord reached his hand inside the cut, ripped something from me, and shoved my to the floor.

Nero was yelling something that I couldn't hear because my ears were fuzzy and there was blood all over my shirt? What was going on? I was supposed to do something, supposed to remember something… but I couldn't remember… who was I?

_Protect Max. _

I forced myself to my feet, the cut already beginning to close.

"Natalya." Nero said in wonder. He shook his head. "The baby's still alive!"


	47. Maximillain Nero

"Now that I have all four of you, all that remains is to move to the right time." Kaito said.

"Or you could just let us go and go home." Jinx suggested.

"How about no?" Kaito smiled, and pulled a box from his jacket.

"What is that?" Max demanded.

"Overlord stole the Locket back from me, but not before I was able to copy it." He pressed a button and they disappeared.

There were on an island, the water just a few inches from where Jessa was face-down in the sand. She lifted her head up and saw two figures a few yards away, seemingly locked in an embrace.

"What's going on?" Xander mumbled through a mouthful of sand.

"We have to be at the time and place when our target came into existence." Kaito said. "Now I don't have very much time-" He frowned, seemingly just noticing One. "What are _you_ doing here?"

###

_At first he had hated her, but that was only before he met her. Now, lying in his arms and looking straight at him with her cold blue eyes, he couldn't imagine hating something so small and perfect._

"_It's unusual for her eyes to be focused when she's this young." Zoey said quietly, reaching out to touch Natalya's face. _

"_She's pretty unusual, period." Nero said, rocking Merrin's daughter back and forth. "But she's cute anyway."_

_Merrin laughed. "Are you going to stalk my daughter when she's older, Max?"_

"_Maybe." Nero said, laughing. _

"_That's sick, she's your niece." Bartholomew said from where he was lounging like a cat on top of the wall. _

"_Only his… half-niece." Merrin said. She turned to him, her eyes shining. "So it's fine, right?"_

_Nero nodded. _

###

I ran over to him. "Are you all right?" Hurriedly, I unbuttoned his shirt. The skin underneath was crisscrossed with red lines of infection. I threw herself onto him.

"Careful." Nero grunted.

"Da!"

I turned around. "Valerie, how the heck did you?"

"Can I see her?" Nero asked.

I passed her to him and he pressed her to his chest. I stood up and walked over to Overlord. "Give me my son back." I hissed.

He laughed, then handed the bundle in his arms over. I ran back over to where Nero lay, and passed him that too. Nero smiled.

"He's got brown hair." I said, frowning. "I wonder where that comes from."

Nero shrugged. "Mine's very dark brown…"

"Don't be ridiculous, it's gray." I said.

He started laughing, but then started gasping for air. "I'm… glad I got to meet you…" he said to the baby.

"Please don't be stupid- it's fine-" I said.

"Come here." He said softly.

I clung to him, Valerie and her brother smashed in between us. I started crying, and Nero stroked my hair. Then… abruptly, his hand stopped.

Behind me, Overlord began to laugh.


	48. Explosions

**Laura**

Lucy looked up as Shelby, Wing, Emily, Aaron, Crystal and I entered the room. "Oh, hello there. You've picked up a few strays, I see."

"Yeah." I said. "Where's Nigel?"

"He lost his glasses." Lucy said, rolling her eyes. "God. The last time I did that, he wandered into the girl's locker room and… well…." She sighed. "It was an… interesting way to meet your future boyfriend- personal assistant..."

"Boyfriend? Are you going to marry him?"

"Why would I do that?" Lucy said.

"Um, cause you're preg- you know what, never mind." Shelby sighed. "Where's Raven and her cute little babies?"

"Raven only has one child." Wing pointed out.

"Oh I'm sure she's probably got another one by now." Shelby said, rolling her eyes. "She's good at that kind of thing…"

"I don't know where Raven is…" Lucy said. "I haven't seen her or Nero in a while…"

"Should we go look?" I asked.

"No, not if they're alone." Shelby said. She giggled. "They're sort of cute together, you know?"

"I suppose." Lucy said.

###

**Raven**

"A good person is dead and your _laughing_?!" I jumped up. "You just _shut up!_"

"A good person?" Overlord smirked. "That _is_ funny." He started towards the door. "I've cut off the ventilation system to here- dead men don't need oxygen, or his stupid b( #! and brats."

"Please- don't kill Valerie and her brother! They're both just infants and they don't deserve it!" I pleaded.

"Bye-bye, Raven." He said. "Oh, and I'll be taking this." He slung Nero's body over his shoulder and left, locking the door behind him.

I pounded on it with my fists and yelled, but there was no response. Of course. The mostly ruined hospital wing was deserted except for the two of us…

Well. I had to find a way out of here. I picked up Valerie and her brother and quickly knocked them out. They would breath slower that way. Then I ripped my shirt so I could turn it into a sort of sling to carry the two in.

I scanned the room. There was only one door… and it was locked from the inside. There was nothing in here that I could use… I scanned the room. I could already feel the air thinning. I had to get out of here.

Then the wall blew up, knocking me backwards. I stared at the foot long splinter of wood sticking out from my chest for a second before passing out.


	49. Gifts

**Warning: Overlord does violent gross stuff in this chapter. **

**Raven**

I woke up surrounded by soft sheets. Someone's arms were around me, locked tightly over my chest. I opened my eyes and rolled over, staring into Jacob's face.

"Sorry, but I got hungry." He let go of me. "For dessert, that is."

"I hate you." I sat up and noticed a box surrounded by wrapping paper by my feet. "Hey. Is this for me?"

"Yes, but I wouldn't open it. It made me barf." said Jacob.

"What is it?" I asked.

"It's Nero's heart."

I jumped up, clapping a hand over my mouth and rushing towards the bathroom.

"Sorry." Jacob said. "But you asked…"

"Shut. Up." I snarled, then threw up.

I sat down on the bathroom floor and started crying. What was I going to do? What was going to happen to H.I.V.E- well, Lucy was going to happen, that much was obvious. But how was I supposed to raise Valerie and her brother? What was I going to name Valerie's stupid brother? I was horrid with boy's names. Gaah. GAAAH!

"Tally…. why are you banging your head against the toilet?"

"Will you just leave me alone!?" I yelled. "My husband- boyfriend- Nero just died!"

"I could cheer you up…" he said, poking me in the shoulder. "And there is no way you're just a D, Natalya. Obviously, Nero doesn't know what he's talking about." He yawned. "By the way, they did a paternity test on Valerie and she's definitely Nero's baby."

"No, I AM A D, and that's good." I said distractedly.

"Either you're lying or you need a bigger bra." Jacob said lazily, his hand creeping under my shirt collar. I swatted it away.

"It could just be because she's feeding two babies." Otto said, entering followed by Laura. Laura looked like she was in some sort of happy daze.

"What is it?" I asked.

Laura just giggled and buried her face in Otto's shirt. Otto smiled. "We went to the doctor, and they said the reason she got depressed so quickly over the last month is because her hormones were all messed up…"

"So?" I said.

"She's going to have a baby!" Otto squeezed Laura's shoulders. "It's probably Ben's but you know, whatever…"

"That's great." I said. "Congratulations."

###

**Xander**

One looked frightened, opening her mouth in defiance. Kaito shot her though the heart. He pivoted and quickly killed Jinx, Kisa and Max in the same fashion.

"No!" I yelled. I started towards him. There was a sudden flash of light and someone slammed into me.

It was a girl my age who grabbed my shoulders for support. I stared into her bright green eyes. She was very beautiful, very pale, and completely naked.

"Otto!" she yelled, then slammed a kiss into my mouth.


	50. She's ba-ack

**Vanessa (at last!)**

Have you ever been dead?

I have. It really sucks. Obviously I wasn't good enough to get a bunch of angels singing at me constantly, so I was just floating around in darkness for ages and ages and ages.

Blech.

Anyway.

"Um." said Otto. "I'm not Otto."

"Oh." I said. I noticed his eyes. _Laura's _eyes…

I sprang back, pointing at the boy. "HOLY CRAP, ARE YOU OTTO AND LAURA'S SON!?"

"Er… yes." He said.

I gaped at him. "How _old_ are you?"

"Thirteen." He said.

"Thirteen?! But Otto's only fifteen and Laura's only fourteen…"

"What are you talking about? They're like thirty." said Not-Otto.

"Thirty." I looked around. "How long was I dead for?!"

"Thirteen years." said Kaito. I jumped.

"WHAT THE CRAP ARE YOU DOING HERE?! DON'T TELL ME YOU SAVED ME! I DON'T WANNA BE IN DEBT TO YOU-"

"Who are you? What's going on?"

I turned to see a much-younger version of my mother (?) in a bikini (!?) holding hands with my father (?!). She was also glaring at Kaito (okay, that's understandable).

"You don't need to know any of that." Kaito said, and turned to press some buttons on the little box he was holding. He paused, then gripped my arm. "Come with me, Montov." He looked me up and down and I remembered the whole not-wearing-clothes thing. Which was so not fair. I mean, I've already come back from the dead, is it that much difficult to get me some panties while we're at it?

And a bra. A bra would be nice.

"Knock it off." Not-Otto hissed.

"She's mine." Kaito pulled me closer to him. "I can do whatever I want to her."

"Let her GO!"

There was a flash of red light, and everything blew up. Well, to be specific, Kaito blew up.

I was thrown into Not-Otto's arms, who seemed a little freaked out. I smiled, trying to reassure him.

"Well, looks like we're done here. Now, about those panties…"


	51. Blu Is Naughty

Not- Otto frowned. "Er-"

"Give me your shirt." I said.

He took it off and handed it to me. Just the sort of boy I liked. I pulled it on.

"Who are you?" asked the redhaired girl standing a few feet away.

"My name is Vanessa Montov." I looked around and noticed the dead bodies around me. "Did I do that?"

"No, he did." Not-Otto picked up a black object from the ground and pressed something. Instantly, we were back in the Glasshouse, a younger Pietor Furan staring angrily at us.

"Wait a minute-" I started.

He pressed the button again, and now we were standing in a corridor at H.I.V.E., just me and Not-Otto and the girl.

"What's going on?!" I said, feeling suddenly dizzy. "Who are you?"

"Xander Malpense." Not-Otto said.

"I'm Jessa Finch." Jessa turned to Xander. "What about Jinx and Max's bodies? We can't-"

"It's not important." Xander said. "We need to find Mum and-"

"Mum? Oh, Laura. Geez… how old is she now?"

"She's twenty seven." Xander said. "Or something like that."

"Wait… so how old is my mum?" I demanded.

"Your mum?"

"Sometimes she goes by Raven but her real name is Natalya. Do you know her?"

"Raven?" Xander frowned. "Oh… she's… I don't know, but she had another baby."

"What?!" I spluttered. "But Mark died-"

"With Nero." Xander explained.

"_Nero?!_ But Nero's _old!_"

"Oh my god."

I turned to see someone pointing me. Someone who _could_ have been Shelby… if Shelby was a decade older and carrying two children.

"You're her, aren't you?" Lucy said. She was older too, and looked to be around six months pregnant. "He brought you back."

"Er… yes." I said.

"Good." Lucy glared at me. "Now will _someone_ please go get me a sandwich?!"

###

Otto wondered where Laura had gone. She was so unpredictable while pregnant- and always getting lost.

"Hey, Otto."

Blu was standing a few feet away, wearing a hospital gown. She draped her arms over his shoulder.

"What are you doing?" Otto frowned. It really was strange that he couldn't remember Laura and her children, but he could remember one night with Blu... There was something strange about this woman, something he didn't like.

He started to walk away, but Blu grabbed his wrist and pushed him against the wall. "You aren't going anywhere until I'm done with you…"


	52. Lucy is attacked by Demon Gnomes

**Okay. A) this story is not almost over. Overlord is still running around being a… homicidal supercomputer, and we need to resolve that issue, so there's gonna be a shorter Part Two. B) After this story **_**is**_** over, I'm thinking about doing a prequel about Nero and Kaito and Merrin and Anastasia and Bartholomew. (If you have an opinion about this please review and tell me!) **

**Raven**

Jacob disappeared for a little while, then reappeared as I was going to feed Baby Who Still Does Not Have A Name.

"So." I said. "Finally remembered that I'm single?"

"Natalya." He looked sort of green. "We're- um- cousins."

DOES. NOT. COMPUTE.

"So… even though between the two of us we could make some pretty cute babies, I have to leave you for some other man." He kissed the top of my head. "I'm sure you won't have a problem finding one. You never do."

As he walked away, I blinked, then buried my head in Baby Who Still Does Not Have A Name's stomach.

Why_ are all the hot guys related to me?!_

###

_Lucy stood in the middle of the circle of the screens, feeling all eyes on her. "I wish you would tell me what's going on." she said bitterly. _

"_You understand that in the event of capture, it is easier to operate on a need-to-know basis." said the man on the screen in front of her. _

"_Here's what I know." Lucy crossed her arms. "Overlord stole the Eternal Locket- motive unknown- and gave it to Blu- again, we don't know why. Kaito kidnapped Valerie and Kisa for some reason- possibly to get to Raven. Raven and Blu were captured and Kaito took the Eternal Locket. And… they decided to have a battle at H.I.V.E. for some reason… and Overlord got it back. And now he's taken off." Lucy tapped her foot. "So what's this all about? There's a lot of gaps in this story that need filling in."_

"_I suggest you stop questioning the decisions of your superiors." said another man. "In your current condition, it would be difficult to fight off an assassin, wouldn't it?"_

"_I could use Nigel as a human shield." Lucy said sarcastically. She turned swiftly from the room. "I'm not your slave, and I'll do whatever the *(#$ I want!"_

Vanessa looked Lucy up and down. "Sorry. I don't have a sandwich. I don't even have any panties."

Lucy frowned. That was the thing with Vanessa. Whatever she said was impossible to follow unless you were pschic-

Suddenly a jolt of pain went through Lucy and she froze, then sat down, leaning against the wall.

"Are you all right?" Shelby said quickly.

"No." snapped Lucy. "It feels like demon gnomes are trying to rip me apart from the inside."

"Demon gnomes?" wondered Vanessa out loud. "I like pepperoni better, personally…"

Lucy sighed. "Just go get Nigel, will you?"

"Aye!" yelled Vanessa loudly. "And a sandwich!" She started to dash off.

"No, just Nigel!" Lucy bellowed.

"You want mayonnaise?!" Vanessa flapped her hand at Lucy over her shoulder "Don't worry- I can handle it!"

Lucy sighed.

"_Demon gnomes_?" Shelby repeated.

"Shut up."


	53. My Clone Goes Psycho

**Vanessa**

I ran into Nigel on the fourth floor a little while later.

"Vanessa?" he spluttered.

"Hi, I'm alive and demon gnomes are attacking Lucy!" I yelled.

"Demon gnomes?" Nigel spluttered.

"Cookies are much better." Franz said.

"When did you show up?!" I spluttered.

"A few minutes ago." He shoved another cookie into his already jam-packed mouth.

"Is Lucy in labor?!" Nigel spluttered.

"No, she's being attacked by demon gnomes!" I yelled.

"She's in labor, isn't she." Nigel sighed. "I'll go find her. You go find a doctor!"

"No, I have to get her a sandwich!" I spluttered, chasing after him.

We took a short cut through a deserted classroom. Two people were in there- a woman with long dark hair and green eyes and… Otto…

Twelve years only made him hotter, that's all I'm saying.

Green Eyes had him pushed up against the wall and they were both in their underwear. I suddenly got the feeling that I shouldn't have barged in like this.

"Vanessa-" Otto gasped, but Green Eyes silenced him with a kiss.

"Are you having a fair behind Laura's back?" I said. "That's naughty, isn't it?"

Otto started to say something, but Green Eyes started making out with him again. He looked at me with big bleeding eyes.

"Don't worry, I won't tell Laura." I said cheerfully. "And let me know when you're done with her, okay? I want a turn."

Green Eyes seemed to finally notice us. She whipped out a pistol and shot Nigel in the head. Then she turned it on Otto.

"Hey, don't you dare hurt him!" I yelled, rushing towards them.

"He's hot but not that hot." Green Eyes said coldly. She shot Otto twice in the chest.

"NOO!" I screamed. I ran forward and held Otto, like he had when I'd been dying. (Wow. That was an odd sentence.) I turned to the woman. "Who _are_ you?! Why'd you shoot him?!"

"I am Infinity." she said in her cold voice. "And I can't let anyone find out about where I've gone."

She turned the gun on me.

"_No._" I said harshly, in a voice that wasn't my own.

And she turned and left.


	54. Raven Meets Me Again

"Wait!" I called after Infinity. "Are you… me?"

She turned, and we studied each other for an infinitely long period of time.

"I saw an episode of the Annoying Orange when this happened once." I said. **(The episode in question is called 'Back to the Fruiture' and basically makes the next couple sentences make sense.)** "You're the evil space warlord, right?" I continued. "And the girl who shows up next is the real me." I crossed my arms. "I demand to see your glow stick."

"Wh-what?" Blu spluttered.

Otto made a sort of gurgling moan, reminding me that he was injured. I looked down at him, then stood up and started dragging him away.

Otto screamed and moaned some more. I closed my eyes. _I'm sorry but I have to do this!_

I heard someone crying, a baby. The next second a woman appeared holding a newborn in her hands. She rushed around the corner, tripped spectacularly over Otto, went flying and landed on her back. The baby slammed into her stomach. She turned pale, rolled over and threw up.

"Hi, Mum!" I yelled. "Please stop my evil clone while I take Otto to the hospital. And while you're at it, Lucy's off getting attacked by killer gnomes…"

Raven looked from me to Otto to Blu, then threw up again.

"Yeah, I know, I'm back from the dead and it's very shocking, but I sort of need your help-"

A ponytailed blur streaked past me, grabbed Blu and sent her sprawling. She landed on her back with a shriek. Wing continued attacking her viciously. Strangely, he was carrying a baby and his hair was braided with pink ribbon. Well, I guessed since he'd gone and grown up without me, he was probably married to Shelby now…

Good grief, all my friends either had kids, were dead, or were in the process of having kids. Who the heck was I supposed to hang out with when they went around with strollers and-

Whoops. Back on subject.

My mom stood up, picked up the baby, ran over to me and hissed. "Have you seen a flying baby anywhere?"

"Flying…?"

"About this big, looks like a baby… smells like milk, can say 'duck' and 'da'…"

"No, I can't say I have." I said carefully.

She swore. "Stupid Valerie. She went off to go look for her father-"

I heard someone cry out behind me and saw Wing lying on the floor holding his arm which was bleeding and looked like it was broken. Badly. As in, the bone was sticking out. Behind him, Blu was making a mad dash to escape.

"Hold it." Raven snapped, shoving the baby into my arms and taking off.

I sighed. Every time one of my siblings grows up, she goes and replaces it…


	55. I Am Attacked by Demon Gnomes

Although Otto might be cute, he sure is heavy. It took me forever to find a doctor, and then I had to dash off to find Lucy and Shelby.

Shelby was holding Lucy, who was still thrashing around and screaming, and she was also holding a baby. I sat down next to him. "Nigel's… dead." I said softly.

Lucy didn't seem to hear me. She screamed again, nearly kicking me.

"It seems like this one's twin doesn't want to come out." Shelby said.

"A doctor'll be coming, but he had to patch up Otto first."

"What happened to Otto?"

"She got away." Raven said, appearing out of nowhere, now with yet another baby. "And where'd you put the other one?" she asked, waving her baby at me.

"Here." I said, waving the other one back at her.

She handed the other baby to me and knelt next to Lucy. "What's wrong with her?"

"The demon gnome is stuck inside of her." I said.

"What?" Raven rolled her eyes. "We don't all speak Vanessa."

"I do." Shelby sighed. "She's giving birth to twins and one of them won't come out."

"Good." said Raven.

"Good?" I spluttered.

"I know what to do, and that's good." Raven said. She glared at me. "If I remember correctly, you throw up a lot, so don't watch, okay?"

"What? I… fine."

I rocked the babies in my arms back and forth. The girl one was dressed in a cute little outfit. Lucy's baby seemed to be a girl as well, but her breathing was weak.

"Okay, there." said Raven, dumping another newborn on my lap. Shelby sighed with relief.

"I have no knowledge of babies so stop giving them all to me!" I wailed. "And I think this one didn't make it." I passed Raven the second twin.

"Not on my watch, dammit." Raven grunted, taking her from me.

Xander came running up. "Otto's going to be okay." he said to me. "I just… thought you'd want to know."

Raven's baby had somehow migrated her way up to my head and was now taking large handfuls of my hair and chewing on them. Her brother began crying, battering my chest with his fists in search of milk. Lucy's baby started crying too because, well… why not?

I gazed up at Xander. He really did look like Otto… except for his eyes. Instead of being blue like an ocean I could fall into, they were green… like a meadow I could frolic in with him. With buttercups.

Wait, what?

"You want some help there?" Xander asked, sitting down next to me.

I smiled. "Yes, please."


	56. Jacob's Present

In half an hour we- General Franks, Silvy, Zoey, Otto, Laura, Shelby, Wing… gah, well, everyone important anyway- were gathered around Lucy's bed. Both she and her twins had managed to survive. So had I.

"What are their names?" I asked Raven, pointing to my siblings.

"Valerie and… well, that one doesn't have a name yet."

"You need to name him." Lucy said.

"Fine." Raven grunted. "Niko. His name'll be Niko."

"Why didn't you just name him after Nero?" I asked.

"Dang it!" Raven glared at the baby like it was his fault.

"Too late now, though." Lucy said.

"Can you please explain to us what this is all about?" Otto held up the locket.

"Alright, but it's a bit of a long story." Silvy said. "When I met Kaito, he had this crazy idea about making people immortal, and able to change their age. I think he wanted to do this on himself and I'm pretty sure he did eventually. Anyway, he eventually came up with the technology to do it, about when Zoey was born. He called the technology Infinity and the program Eternal. He started taking kids from the streets and changing them- Zoey and her siblings, Nero and his, Bastille and Shaesta Winters… Madelynn and Otto Lord. Otto Lord is the man Overlord is currently possessing. I don't know where Madelynn is. Vanessa, Mark and Serenity Winters and any of the other children of the people he changed inherited some form of their powers. The last person he changed-"

"Was me." Lucy finished. "He gave me this." She shrugged. "I guess Anastasia used to work for him but they eventually clashed and she betrayed him. I reminded her of him so she came to kill me. He is my father, after all." She looked around at their shocked expressions. "Well, it's true."

"So the question is, what do we do about all this?" Xander asked.

"We rebuild Cake." I said. "He had the Infinity software on him. And Madelyn said it was bad. Maybe we can use it to stop Overlord and… whoever that lady was."

"Right." Raven said. "And about you being the last person he changed- I don't think that's true-"

"RAAA-VEN!" Jacob sang, rushing into the room. He was carrying something on a hanger.

"What is _that_?" Raven spluttered.

"It looks like a parasol and a bikini had a baby." Otto said.

"It's for you!" Jacob said, looking very pleased with himself. "It's underwear!"

"AND WHY IN THE NAME OF CHEESE WOULD I NEED THIS?! I THOUGHT YOU WERE DONE WITH ME!"

"It's your size too." Jacob said. "E-"

"E?!" I spluttered. "I TOLD YOU I'M A D!"

"Wow." I said as I watched Raven tackle Jacob and start violently attacking him. "Is there some sort of precedent to this or does she just like beating people up?"

"The latter, I am thinking." Franz said. "Would anyone like a cookie?"


	57. Xander Lost His Pants

**Raven**

**Eight Months Later…**

Valerie reached out for the edge of the bed, opening and closing her chubby fist. Niko clapped his hands in encouragement. She took another step, then fell flat on her face. Instead of crying, she looked up as though she wasn't entirely sure what had just happened.

I picked her up. "Silly."

"Duck!"

"No." I said. "Not duck. Mama. Say ma-ma!"

"Duck!"

"No, I'm not a duck!"

"Duckaduckaducka!" Valerie sang, biting my hand.

"Ow!" I set her down. "Good grief. I give up."

"Duck!" Valerie screeched.

Niko yawned. "Mama." He said slowly and carefully, like he was showing his older sister how it was done. Both of them were developing faster than they should have, considering their age. But only in intelligence sort of things.

I glanced at my phone. Where was Vanessa? She should have been at class by now. I picked up Niko and went towards her room.

"Vanessa?" I called.

There was a sleepy grunt from inside the room.

"Okay, I'm coming in to wake you up." I said. I opened the door.

Vanessa was lying on the floor in her underwear. Half in and half out of her bed was… Xander Malpense?!

"Oh." said Xander, sitting up and hastily covering himself with the blanket. "Hello, Mrs. Nero… Miss Nero… Raven…"

"What the _crap _is going on here?!" I bellowed.

Vanessa sat up. "I said I wanted potatoes with that!" she yelled at no one in particular.

"Excellent, now explain why you have a half-naked fairly hot male in your bed?!" I hissed.

"What does it look like?" She yawned, lay back down and went back to sleep.

"Get out of here." I snapped at Xander. "Please."

Xander jumped up and raced out the door.

"You may want to, you know, put on some pants before you go anywhere." I called. Then I turned to Vanessa. "What the _heck_ do you think you're doing?"

"Hey!" Vanessa objected. "Didn't you sleep with Overlord AND Kaito AND Nero AND Jacob AND my father?!"

"That." I snapped stiffly. "Is my problem, not yours."


	58. Vanessa and Xander's 'problem'

Valerie looked over at me with her big eyes as Vanessa pushed past me. I tried to tackle her but ended up on my stomach.

"Okay?" Valerie asked, rubbing her cheek.

"Okay." I said, getting up. Niko was crying over nearly being squashed, and I picked him up and slowly rocked him back and forth, trying to comfort him. He squirmed and kicked me hard in the stomach. I sat down hard, gasping.

A couple of weeks after Nero had died, Lucy gave me a letter from him that had basically said that since I was nearly twenty five years younger than him and I would probably live longer than him, he'd made it possible for me to have his baby after he was gone. So I went to Professor Pike and… well, I'm six months pregnant with a baby girl. So there you go.

Valerie pointed at the bathroom. "Essa?"

"Right, we have to go find Vanessa and punish her." I said, picking her up. "Come on. It'll be fun."

###

Blu yawned as she slid from her bed and stood up. She froze as she glanced across the room. A man was standing there holding a gun pointed at her head.

"Before you kill me, hear me out." He said. "All I want to do is introduce you to people who can help you with your plan."

"And who would that be?" Blu said, snatching a knife off her bedroom table. "Because if this has anything to do with Overlord…"

"It does, in a way." The man removed his helmet, revealing that he wasn't a man at all. The woman was about Blu's age, with clear blue eyes like Otto and snow white hair cut very short.

"And you are…" Blu said, crossing her arms.

"Madelyn Lord." said the woman.

"I have heard of you." Blu frowned. "All right, I will come with you… but I need a few minutes to get my things."

"Excellent." Madelyn said.

###

**Vanessa**

I collapsed into my seat with a sigh.

"Did Raven hurt you badly?" Xander asked. "I was sort of worried I'd never see you again."

"Nah, I'll be fine… as long as we stop…"

"Oh, so you mean not anywhere where Raven can find us?" Xander said.

"Yeah." I yawned. "And I'm tired. I never sleep anymore and my stomach is all weird… it probably isn't going to help that Raven's going to be feeding me from now on, since I'm grounded for all eternity…"

Jessa snorted.

"Yes, her cooking really is that terrible." I said.

"It's not that." Jessa smirked and stood up. "Well, I'll leave you two to figure it out…"


	59. My Shrimp

**Raven**

I yawned as I folded the piece of paper and tucked it away into an envelope. Maybe it was stupid, writing letters that I knew Max would never be able to read, but it made me feel better. I hadn't been able to save him, and so he hadn't had a change to meet Niko or the baby I was carrying. So if I pretended he knew about them…

Anyway.

Valerie was watching me with her big eyes and happily chewing on her brother. I scooped them both up and then sat down hard as a hacking cough shook my body.

A shiver went down my spine. This had only happened once before when Kaito's enhancements were destroying me from the inside out. But the doctor had said if I took medicine and was careful-

Another cough. I set Valerie and Niko down as the third one sent my head slamming into the bedpost hard enough to lose consciousness.

###

**Xander**

Vanessa and I ditched class and headed outside to the little beach. We lay down in the warm sand. I rested my hand on her stomach.

"So how long are you grounded for?" I asked.

"Forever." Vanessa yawned. "Which in Raven-speak means until she forgets about it. Given her being really pregnant and with two other little kids to take care of… probably about four days-"

"Shh!" I hissed.

"Why?" She sat up. "Is someone coming?"

"No. Lie down again."

Vanessa frowned but did as I asked. I pressed me ear closer into her side and I heard it again- a heartbeat twice as fast as Vanessa's. I sat up. "Have you been feeling sick at all?"

"Yes, just a little in the mornings… why?"

"I think you might be pregnant." I said.

Vanessa squealed and hugged me. I smiled nervously, then laughed. "Uh… aren't you supposed to freak out?"

"I have two siblings that I take care of all the time." Vanessa said. "I can handle it, no problem." She put her hand on her stomach. "Did you feel it move or something?"

"No, it doesn't do that yet." I told her. "Right now... it's just basically a little shrimp."

"A _shrimp?!_"

"Yeah, the kind you dip in cocktail sauce." I said.

"I _hate _shrimp." pouted Vanessa.


	60. Happily Ever Abter

**Bit of a maturity/Jacob warning about the second half of this chapter…**

**Laura**

"Hey, mom." Xander said. "Say…. If I did something bad… like- and this is completely hypothetical- get a girl pregnant… how mad would you be?"

"Just a little annoyed." I looked slyly at Xander. "So how far along is Vanessa?"

"I never said-"

"It is Vanessa, isn't it? You aren't two-timing her or anything?"

"Of course it's Vanessa!" Xander blurted, then winced. "I mean, I'm not two-timing-"

"Is it a boy or a girl? Or do you not know yet?"

"Um, I don't know… I don't even know that she's pregnant for sure…" said Xander, giving up.

"Well, what are we waiting for?" I said. "Let's go find her and find out!"

We found Vanessa in the floor of Raven's room. She was sitting attentively in front of Jacob, who was talking to Valerie and her brother. Raven lay unconscious on the floor.

"And then the sexy warrior princess was kidnapped by the evil space pirate Max, who seduced her with his amazing rippling abs." Jacob was saying.

"Dada!" squealed Valerie.

"Did I _say _that was your father? No, I did not." Jacob sighed. "Anyway, the sexy warrior princess eventually realized that she was trapped and she tried to escape. But the space pirate stopped her by selling her soul to the demon gnomes Val and Nick."

Valerie clapped her hands.

"Did I _say_ that was you? No, I did not. Eventually, the sexy warrior princess fell in love with a lowly serving boy who had _much _better abs and helped exorcise the demon gnomes. The serving boy called on his little sister the Space Robot Princess Cherry to hijack the evil space pirate's volcano/ship and they threw him to the sharks- there were sharks- and they all lived happily ever after. And the sexy warrior princess and the lowly serving boy went on a vacation on the beach, and one evening they stayed out to watch the sunset. And the sexy warrior princess- who was in a bikini- stared into the lowly servant boy's chocolaty brown eyes and at his amazing abs-"

"Now hold on a second." Raven snarled, sitting up. "What the _crap_ do you think you're telling my child?!"

"Curious that you woke up at that part." Jacob said.

"What do you mean?" Raven demanded.

"I mean that-"

"Mom? Xander and I are going to go find out if I'm pregnant or not." Vanessa said very quickly. "So… bye!"

She grabbed Xander's hand and started off.

Raven frowned. "What did she just say?"

"I have no idea." said Jacob. "Now let's get back to my- I mean the lowly serving boy's- abs-"


	61. Jacob is really gonna get it

**Raven**

"I really _don't_ want to talk about it." I said, and then I coughed again.

"Are you okay?" Jacob pulled me into his lap and sat down on the couch. "Cute jammies."

"I didn't have time to change between toddlers and teenagers."

"I'll just check that the interior details are in order…" he said, flicking up my nightgown.

I squealed and jumped up. "God, Johnson!"

"Cute panties." He tackled me to the couch again. "You've got a spider bite." He plunged his hand down the front of my dress, stopping to press into a point over my heart. I winced. "Stop it!" I stood up.

"It's really swollen." Jacob said. "You might want to check that it's okay." He frowned. "I've seen a lot of spiders around here lately and they're sure creepy." He tickled me under my chin. "Are you scared of spiders, Tally?"

"No, of course not. And don't call me Tally."

"Not suitable for our sexy warrior princess-" He broke off and started coughing.

"Jacob?" I frowned. He was coughing just as hard as I had been before. "Take off your shirt."

"Anything… for you, Princess." He said between coughs. He tossed his shirt to the side and I examined his chest.

"You've got one too." I said, frowning.

Valerie bit my leg. "Duck! Hot tub!"

"We can't go swimming right now." I said, tugging her towards me. "Du- Mommy's not feeling well-"

"Duck Jacob thex!" Valerie squealed, whacking each of us in turn.

"Sorry?" I whispered.

"Thex!" Valerie giggled.

Jacob winced as I slowly turned around to face him.

"JOHNSON!"

###

**Xander**

I sighed. Vanessa grabbed my arm. "I'm glad it's a girl. I don't think I would have been able to take care of a boy."

"That would have taken a lot less time if you could have stayed still for more than a minute."

"But it's exciting!" Vanessa frowned as she opened the door to Raven's room. "That's odd.""

"What?" I looked over her shoulder and gasped.

Raven, Jacob, Valerie and Niko were lying in a heap, all but Valerie looking pale and gaunt, nearly passed out. As I watched Jacob coughed and pulled Raven closer towards him weakly.

"What _happened?_" Laura whispered.


	62. Otto really hates shrimp

**Raven**

I seemed to be lying in water… a pool, maybe? I was wearing a bikini and a tiara and Nero was next to me, only he was wearing a pirate hat and an eye patch and was… a little younger, maybe? And he was cuter, too. We were on the deck of a big pirate ship, and Jacob was scrubbing the floors a few feet away in a sailor suit.

Wait.

Warrior princess, check. Space pirate, check. Lowly servant boy… GAAH! I was stuck in Jacob's lame fairy tale!

"You're dying, Natalya." Nero whispered.

"What?" I spluttered.

"Overlord had poisoned nearly everyone at H.I.V.E." Nero said. "Including you." He sighed. "But I know you'll be okay. And… thank you for the letters." He kissed my forehead. "They're sweet. But I'm watching you, you know. You don't have to write to me."

"But I like it!" I whispered.

"Then by all means keep going." He smiled. "Now why don't we just enjoy our time together?"

###

**Vanessa**

"What is going on?" Otto snapped. He wrapped his arms around Laura, rubbing her stomach. "How are you doing? Do you not feel well?"

A spider scurried down Laura's sock and onto the floor. She shrieked and jumped backwards. "KILL IT!"

Otto sighed and stomped on it. There was a strange crunching sound. He bent down and examined it.

"It's not a spider- it's a tiny robot!"

"Professor Pike's probably been experimenting again…" I hugged Otto's arm. "I'm going to have a baby, Otto!"

Otto looked from me to Xander, then hit Xander so hard he collapsed against the wall.

"Otto!" Laura yelled. "What are you doing?!"

Otto started dragging me towards the hospital wing. "Come on! We'll go stop it before it's too-"

I planted my feet firmly on the ground. "No! YOU CAN'T HAVE MY SHRIMP!"

"I don't want your- Laura!" He ran towards his wife, who was slumped on the ground coughing.

Valerie floated over to me and pulled at my hair. I pulled her into me. Pretty soon I'd have a little girl just like her… I took her chubby hand in mine and rubbed it against my cheek. Then I noticed it was covered in blood.

I looked back into the room and noticed the blood around Raven. I went closer and gasped. "I think her baby's coming!"

"What?" Otto sighed. "Fine. You go get a doctor and I'll stay here. We'll talk about the… baby later." He grimaced.

I saluted, then dashed off.

Otto glared down at Xander. "Get up and help her." he hissed.

Xander twitched slightly but didn't move. Otto sighed. _Worthless…_


	63. I Am Invited To a Showdown

When I reached the doctor's office, Dr. Scott looked up at me, looking harried. "Another case?"

"Another?" I frowned.

"Yes, a strange sickness seems to have infected everyone. We must have had at least a third of the school in here, and there's been three deaths already."

"Well, that explains what happened to Raven and Jacob at least." I said. "But the more troubling problem is that Raven's having her baby!"

"Oh, that is a problem." He sighed. "I'll have someone come down there in a moment."

"Great, thanks." I said, smiling. I sat down on the bench. "So what's happening?"

"You mean with the sickness? Well, they start coughing for a while, and then go into a coma… and that's all I know so far." He turned to me. "You've got to be really careful, Vanessa. It would be worse for you, if you were infected, because of your baby."

"I'll be okay." I said. I jumped as my blackbox beeped. Hoping it wasn't Xander with bad news.

But it wasn't bad news. It was just… confusing.

**Vanessa Montov. I request your presence at the G.L.O.V.E. base in England at two o'clock on Monday. Don't be late. –Overlord. **

###

"What did you do that for?!" Xander spluttered.

"If you're going to take care of Vanessa and her child, you're going to have to be a lot stronger than this." Otto sniffed.

"Olly!"

Otto turned just in time to see Valerie come flying at him. She slammed into his face, knocking him over. Otto lay flat on his back, Valerie's diaper scratching against his chin. Valerie smacked him in the forehead with one chubby palm. "Olly! Pway!"

"Yeah." Xander said, crossing his arms. "Real strong."

"That's exactly it." Otto said, getting to his feet and tossing Valerie over his shoulders like a sack of potatoes. (She continued squealing about Olly and demanding to be played with.) "I did this the wrong way… and I don't want you to do the same!"

"But I love Vanessa." Xander said.

"So?! That doesn't mean you're ready for getting married and having kids."

"We're not going to get married." Xander said.

"THAT'S EVEN WORSE!" Otto bellowed. "Listen, do you know what your mother was driven to do because of-"

"Because of me?" Xander finished.

"Be- no, I never said-"

"Yeah, well, that's what you thought." Xander turned around and started to walk away. "I don't understand why you care so much about me and my life when you didn't even want me anyway!"


	64. Otto Has A Flashback

**Today I drew like three pictures of Otto in a skirt…**

**Maturity warning on Otto's flashback…**

Xander's words stung. Otto picked up Laura and moved her into Raven's room. She opened her eyes. "Otto…"

"How are you feeling?" Otto said.

"Like crap." Laura said.

"Great." Otto sighed. "Well, a doctor is coming, it'll be fine."

He settled her onto Raven's bed, then sat down on the end and closed his eyes.

_They'd been living in captivity for a few months when Overlord came in and pointed to him. "Either you have a baby with the readhead now or Presscott in three days. Pick." _

_It was an easy choice- terrifying girl versus cute ex-girlfriend. Overlord left, and Lucy locked herself in the bathroom with a book. Otto and Laura stood facing each other, blushing. _

"_I- I think…" Laura trailed off, starting to pull off her shirt. _

"_Right." Otto turned away as he undressed then climbed into the narrow cot before Laura could see him. She slid in next to him and they looked at each other awkwardly again. Otto closed his eyes and pulled her closer to him. She was rigid, every muscle tensed. She screamed and grabbed him. _

"_You okay in there?!" Lucy called. _

"_Yes." Otto stroked Laura's hair. "Sorry." he whispered. _

"_No, it's not your fault." Laura gasped. "I- I think I'm bleeding." _

_He wasn't sure what to say. "Er… want to kiss?"_

_She shook her head but buried her head in his chest. "How long do we have to stay like this?" _

"_I don't know… are you okay?" Otto asked. _

"_No! No, I am not okay!" Laura hissed. "I want to have kids eventually but… not when I'm fourteen!"_

"_Look, neither do I." Otto snapped. _

"_So? You're not the one who has to carry it! You can just leave me." He didn't know when she'd started crying but she was now. _

"_I can't."_

"_Yeah, you can't because you have to go to school with me." Laura grunted. _

"_No, I can't! That wouldn't be right!"_

"_So it's out of some sense of obligation." She broke away from him and rolled over. "Then you might as well just leave." _

_He thought he heard her mutter "I didn't want it like this." but he could have been wrong. _

_And when Laura woke up she was alone except for Xander inside of her… _


	65. Princess of the Buttercups

Five shook Overlord awake. "We need to move."

"What, are they onto us again?" Overlord said, sitting up. He'd found Blu's last two children in a basket in the room where he'd left her body, and they'd been on the run ever since. He didn't have bases to stay at anymore, they'd all been compromised. Mostly by Blu.

Why did he care so much about that woman? She'd only-

_She was in the snow with blood staining her pale face, the frail corpse of what had once been an assassin. The little child next to her screamed and cried. She resembled her mother- pale face, dark curls, and blue eyes. She clawed at the snow with one tiny hand. _

_He wasn't sure why, but he was drawn to her, a tiny abandoned life. He heard someone coming, so he scooped up the baby and ran._

Overlord blinked as he got into the car. That had been happening recently- memories from the body he had always possessed popping up. And it was getting worse. He sighed. He really was a pathetic villain.

_I mean, come on. My driver is my seven year old daughter. _

###

**Raven**

The scene kept shifting, so sometimes Max and I were in his office, or on the ship, or in a hotel. Eventually we ended up in a park in a huge patch of daisies and buttercups.

Nero rolled onto his back. "You know, I was going to marry you, eventually."

"I wish you hadn't died, Max." I gritted my teeth. "And stupid Overlord keeps mailing me your body parts…"

He laughed. "Do you love me, Natalya?"

I smiled. "Of course." I was never able to say it before but now that he was dead I had nothing to lose. "Do you love me?"

"Yes." He slid a buttercup twisted into a circle around my ring finger. He had one on his hand, too.

"Then I pronounce us husband and wife." He kissed me, pulling me back onto him. I smiled.

###

Xander stomped up to me, a fierce glare on his face. "I hate my parents." He grumbled.

"Want to go on a suicide mission to prove yourself to them?" I suggested.

His eyes lit up.

"Meet me in the hangar at bed time and we'll get the hell out of here." I said with a wink.

I watched as my mother was wheeled on a stretcher towards the hospital, Niko in her arms. They and Laura were some of the three most at risk and I hoped that they would all live. I had become friends with Laura-

I frowned as I noticed that tied around Raven's finger was a… buttercup? What was up with that?

_Ah well._ I sighed. Preganant people do strange things sometimes…


	66. Overlord Is Acting Stupid

**Updates for this story probably won't be as regular as they have been during the summer. But I'll try to do as much as I can. **

**Vanessa**

Valerie flew towards Xander the instant she saw him, laughing and shrieking.

"Why did you bring her?" Xander said, tossing her over his shoulder. She giggled.

"Parenting experience." I shrugged. "Come on, let's go."

We crept into the hangar, and using Raven's access code I let us in. We climbed aboard a Shroud and zipped out of there, because when Lucy saw it was me she seemed to be so exhausted she just opened the crater and let us out.

"Out of curiosity, do you know how to drive this thing?" Xander asked me.

"No." I said. "I could with the old model but this one's been updated."

"That," he said after a pause. "is a definite problem."

I smirked. "Thank god for autopilot, huh?"

We sat in the passenger compartment and cuddled.

"Am I swollen?" I asked, lifting up my shirt.

"No, not at only twelve weeks." He frowned. "You are a little bit in your chest, though."

"Excellent. Perhaps I'll finally catch up to Raven." I said triumphantly.

"Dream on." Xander kissed the top of my head.

"Dream on?! What sort of attitude is that?!"

"I'm only telling the truth." Xander laughed. Then he frowned as the Shroud suddenly dipped. "Hey, where's Valerie?"

"I let her loose. I figured she could explore the cockpit."

"Vanessa…" Xander stood up. "You don't let year old flying baby with magical powers loose on a flying ship."

"Well." I frowned. "That actually sort of make sense."

"I'm going to go get her before we crash." Xander muttered.

###

Overlord got out of the car, Five and Six beside him, invisible to everyone else. They got into the elevator and stayed there until they reached the top floor. From there, Overlord climbed the stairs to the roof. He sat down at the edge. The perfect place for a battle.

_I'll be waiting, my love. _


	67. Shrimp Girl Under Attack

**Xander**

Vanessa lied and said she was Raven (honestly, I don't understand why people were always falling for that trick, Vanessa is like two inches taller and looks like… well, a teenage girl. A cute one, but not nearly as hot as Raven is… and that came out sounding sort of wrong, so I'm just going to shut up now) so we went into the building.

"Where do you think he'd be?" she asked.

"If he's looking for a big dramatic showdown… then he'd be on the roof, of course." I said.

"Are you sure?" she asked. "That seems sort of random…"

"It's a guy thing then, I guess."

We went up to the roof and there was Overlord. He looked kind of pathetic. His clothes were dirty and he hadn't shaved in a while. His eyes were bloodshot.

She drew her swords from her boots. "Put your hands above your head."

He did so.

"Wow." I said. "Some showdown."

"Listen." He said. "I want to make a deal with you."

"Talk fast." Vanessa snapped. "You killed the guy who would have been my stepdad. And you're a poop head."

A poop head? Well then.

"If you don't kill me I'll work for you guys." He took a step forward. "I'll do whatever you ask. Just let me see Blu again. And Three and Four."

Three and Four? Oh, the two kids Mum was taking care of. "Um, sure." I said. "But we don't have Blu. She escaped a while ago."

Overlord sighed. "Of course she did." He looked at us. "So… that's a deal?"

"Yeah." Vanessa frowned. She looked like she was thinking hard, but didn't say anything.

"Miss Montov, may I see your Blackbox?"

"I suppose." She said coolly.

I frowned. Something about this whole thing was fishy.

She held it out to him. He snatched it from her. Vanessa screamed and collapsed as red lightning arched around her body. Oh, no. The baby!

Overlord laughed. "_Fools._" he spat.

Then he disappeared.


	68. Fried Shrimp

Lucy Presscott was having a bad day. Isabella and Michael, her seven-month-old twins, had woken her up at the crack of dawn. Then Mrs. Leon had gotten stuck in a paper bag, somehow made her way into the ventilation system, and kept her from going back to sleep for hours before she figured out where the noise was coming from. And then she'd finally fallen asleep, dreamed of Nigel dying in horrible terrible ways, and been woken up by a technician to tell her about this… problem.

Slowly, all of the computer screens were turning red. They were being locked out of their own system. She could do nothing to stop it, only try to stop it from being a complete disaster.

Lucy collapsed into a chair. "Where's Raven?"

"Unconscious in the hospital wing."

"Otto?" she asked.

"I can send for him-"

"No." Lucy said. "I need him to get inside the computer system. Stat." She yawned. "AND WHERE'S MY LATTE?!"

###

**Vanessa**

I woke up in Xander's arms. Valerie sat next to him, playing with my hair.

"What happened?" I asked.

"Overlord attacked you and vanished." Xander said. "Are you all right?"

"No." I said.

"That would make sense." Xander rubbed my shoulders. "We have to go after him."

"But where'd he go?" I asked.

"I think… into the computer system at H.I.V.E." Xander said.

"Then how the heck are we supposed to follow him?"

"I don't know." He said. "I'll figure something out."

I sighed, then rubbed my stomach. "Do you think she's okay?"

"Vanessa… she's dead."

"Dead?!" I stood up, nearly knocking Valerie over. "She can't be dead! She's my little shrimp!"

"I can't hear her heartbeat anymore, Vanessa."

"So?!" I screamed. "It could have been a fluke the first time! Maybe she just moved or something-"

"No, Vanessa, I was listening to it… and then it just stopped." Xander rubbed his nose. "Overlord killed our daughter."

I sat down hard on the rooftop and pulled Valerie into my lap, beginning to sob. Xander sat down next to me. We didn't talk for a long moment.

"Ready to go get him now?" Xander asked.

I sniffled. "Yeah."


	69. Otto and Zoey

Otto sighed. "Go inside the computer system, huh?"

"Yep." Zoey repeated.

"Okay…" Otto said. He crossed Raven's room to where her laptop rested. Then he closed his eyes and slumped forward.

Zoey hauled him over to the bed. "Idiot. You should have at least sat down first…"

She dragged him over to the bed and sat down at the end. "Stupid idiot…"

Otto suddenly opened his eyes. For a second, they flashed red. She jerked back. "Wh… what happened? Did you fix the problem?"

"Yes…" He looked her up and down in a way she didn't like. It reminded her of her father, Kaito. "Everything's much better now."

He set one hand on her leg. Zoey stood up. "Well, in that case I should go tell Lucy-"

He snapped his fingers and the door slammed shut. "Oh no, little kitten. You're not going anywhere."

###

Lucy frowned as Franz entered. "What do you want?"

"You can be being a little nicer." Franz sniffed. "I only wanted to ask how I could help."

"I have a very important job for you." Lucy said, sighing.

"What?" Franz asked eagerly.

"Go watch Isabella and Michael." Lucy ordered.

Franz sighed. "I am not being sure I am suited to that job… me being Silent Death Ninja and all."

"Would it make you feel better if I referred to them as demon gnomes?"

Franz pouted for a few seconds, then came over and hugged her. "I will do it." He said.

"Thank you." Lucy grunted, struggling to breathe. "What the hell are you doing?"

"I am having a professional relationship with you." Franz said.

"Eh?"

"Like Raven and Dr. Nero, _ja?_"

"I don't call making out at every opportunity and having three kids a 'professional relationship.'" Lucy snapped.

"You have two." Franz pointed out.

"Yes…" Lucy said.

"And then after I am dead you have three like Raven and Nero!"

"Keep it up and you _will_ be dead…" Lucy grunted.


	70. Taken Over

**Raven**

"Natalya, I would like to stay here with you forever but you need to go." Nero said gently.

"What? Why?"

"Vanessa needs your help." He said. "You need to wake up."

I sighed. "Okay…" I kissed him. "I love you."

"I love you too. Now hurry!"

I jumped out of my hospital bed, pulling the tubes out of my arm. The doctor attending me looked confused, but I glared at him and he decided it would be better to ignore me.

I started running back towards my chambers. I had to find Vanessa and that would be the best place to look. When I burst through the door, Otto had Zoey Furan pinned against the floor.

"OH FOR CRYING OUT LOUD!" I screamed, grabbing a ninja throwing star from my belt and hurling it at him, pinning his sleeve to the wall.

Otto blinked up at me, his eyes switching from blue to red to blue. "Oh, you."

"Overlord." I reached for my sword but… there was nothing there. Of course. I had been in the hospital, and they generally don't let you keep swords in there. Well, fine.

I ran towards him and grabbed his neck with my arm, forcing him to gasp for air. "You killed Max." I grunted. "And now… I'm going to-"

I screamed as bright light seared my body and collapsed. I couldn't think. I couldn't speak.

Dearest Natalya.

The voice echoed inside my head. I screamed, clutching at my ears but I could not shut it out.

I thought maybe we should get to know each other better. Overlord whispered.

Scenes began flashing through my head- my memories. I gritted my teeth. Probably over half my life had been spent in captivity, and I didn't like to be reminded of that.

And then I saw _his_ memories.

A boy and a girl, who I recognized as Madelynn, playing around on the streets, then older, trapped somewhere like the Glasshouse, then everything went red…

And then him standing over a man strapped to a metal table.

A man I knew.

_Max is alive._ I had time to think before my thoughts were no long my own.


	71. Like Mother Like Daughter

He could hear her before he saw her, that little girl that never stopped talking. She was still with that Xander boy and they were bickering over… burying something?

"But she's a person too, isn't she?" Vanessa spluttered. "It's not fair to just… just throw her away!"

"Vanessa, she's so tiny-"

The two entered the room and saw him/her crouched on the ground. Overlord grunted, clutching at Raven's side.

"Mum!" Vanessa yelled, running to his/her side.

Overlord looked up at her. "Vanessa…"

"How did you get out of the hospital?" she demanded.

"They stopped the birth and released me…" he/she gasped. "They thought I was okay but when I got back…"

"You need to lie down." Vanessa grabbed Raven's arm and dragged her up onto the bed. "There. Where's Niko and Laura? Are they still in the hospital?"

"I think so, yes..."

"Mum." Vanessa said. "Please don't kill me, but I _was_ going to have a baby. But then… it died."

Overlord reached out to touch her face. "I'm sorry, 'Nessa."

Vanessa frowned. "'Nessa? What happened to squirt?"

Overlord blinked, realizing his error. "You're possessing her, aren't you?" Vanessa hissed.

"I don't know what you mean-" he started.

"Get out of my mother!" Vanessa screamed, shaking him/her by the shoulders.

"It's too late." Overlord hissed, abandoning the deception. "The only way to get me out is to destroy this body, and I know you would never do that."

"You have no idea what I'm capable of." Vanessa snarled.

"As a matter of fact I do. You've never killed anyone in your life, have you? You're _soft._"

"You killed my daughter." Vanessa growled.

"You're…" He looked her up and down. "_Ohhh…_"

She pulled out her sword from her boot. "You know what? I just don't care anymore."

"You're going to kill your own mother?" Overlord said with a smirk as she raised it above him. "There's no way someone like you would ever do something like that-"

"She'd understand." Vanessa snarled and brought the sword down


	72. I DO NOT NEED ANOTHER SIBLING THANK YOU!

Raven twitched, then her head fell down onto her chest.

"No!"

I was shoved out of the way so hard I hit the bed and my vision went fuzzy. Xander grabbed my arm. "Hey, are you okay? Who's that guy?"

"No, I am not okay." I gasped. I wrapped my arms around myself and then noticed that Raven was being kissed. No, not kissed… whoever it was- all I could see was dark hair and a neatly pressed suit- was giving her mouth-to-mouth.

"Jacob, leave Mum alone!" I snapped, putting my hand on his shoulder.

He turned. It was not Jacob. Unless, of course, Jacob had gotten plastic surgery. Which I wouldn't put past him.

"You are?" he asked.

"Vanessa Allyssa Montov." I said, crossing my arms.

His eyes widened slightly, looking me up and down. "Well, you've certainly changed."

"Yeah, I know." I said.

"So… do I know you?" I asked. "Are you one of Raven's past boyfriends?"

"You could say that."

"Please don't say there's some random sibling somewhere that I've never met." I said. "I've got enough of them already."

"Oh, honestly." he said. Then he started kissing my mom again. And this time, it really was kissing. And Raven woke up and there was more kissing. A lot of kissing. I looked away. If there's anything more disgusting then your parents making out in front of you, I don't know what-

Wait wait wait… my parents?

Actually, never mind. There is something more disgusting, which was going even further and unfortunately that seemed to be what I was witnessing. I allowed them five minutes to get reacquainted then coughed loudly. Mark looked embarrassed, but Raven did not as she pulled her shirt back on. "What do you want?"

"Well, I would like a chocolate milkshake, followed by a warm bath, and I want a funeral for Shrimp Girl." I said, crossing my arms.

"Sure, whatever and who the heck is Shrimp Girl?"

I took a deep breath. "You know what, never mind." Xander squeezed my hand.

"Okay, whatever." Raven sighed. "Do you know where Valerie is?"

"She's right here." Xander said, shifting Valerie on his hip. I ruffled my little sister's hair.

"God, you two are domesticated already." Raven muttered, tugging at the collar to Mark's shirt.

"Hey, mum?" I asked. "Did you have the baby yet?"

"Yes, her name is-"

"Then for heaven's sake _please _use birth control!


	73. I Make An Excellent Plan And Follow It

"Honestly." Raven huffed. She sat on his lap facing him with her arms around his neck. "She's so… well…"

"She's not a child anymore." Mark said quietly. "She's quite grown up…"

"Maybe her body has but her mind hasn't." Raven sighed. "Honestly that girl…" She frowned. "So how did you survive?"

"Kaito came up with some sort of thing to give someone who had been killed a new body." Mark said. "The only problem is that we had no control over it. We were virtually hitchhikers."

"We?"

"You noticed, didn't you?" Mark said quietly. "Alan, Avery, Scott…. they were from the Glasshouse."

She had noticed, but there was no way she would have ever brought it up. "Then who were you?"

"I was Max." Mark said.

###

"They're not going to listen to you, are they?" Xander said. "There's no-"

"Yeah, I know." I shrugged. "Well, it's no big deal…"

"So what exactly happened back there?" Xander asked. "Where did Overlord go?"

I waved my sword at him.

"In… there?!"

"Well, in the computer chip I stuck inside of it." I said.

"Why do you have a computer chip…"

"It was supposed to do something… but I mixed up the red and blue wires and it didn't work. And there was no way of getting it out. Anyway, I remembered it and came up with the plan on the fly." I winked. "And now… for part two!"

I drew out my other sword, turned on the force field (yes, I finally got one of those, Raven decided that dying and coming back to life was enough qualification) and cut the first one in half.

I staggered backwards and collapsed, wrestling for control of my own mind. Xander crouched by my side. "Vanessa?!"

_YOU. ARE. NOT. WELCOME. HERE! _I screamed in my mind. _GO AWAY!_

And then he was gone.

"What happened?!" Xander demanded. "Dang it, don't do crazy stuff without telling me first!"

"He was inside me and… well, he still is." I stroked my stomach. "He's here now. In her."

"Ohh…" Xander hugged me. "Then… we have to destroy her now, don't we?"

"Yes." I whispered.


	74. I Find A Volcano, With Real Lava

"The power outage is over now." Lucy said into the microphone. "The problem has been resolved and there is nothing more you need to know. Good night." She turned it off with a sigh. "God, teenagers are annoying."

"Headmistress," said someone behind her. "We have unauthorized access to the crater…"

"Who is it?"

"Xander Malpense-"

"Oh, well then that's fine." Lucy said.

"And Vanessa Montov."

"On second thought… send someone down there to keep an eye on them, will you?"

###

I stared down into the crater beneath me. "I didn't know we had a _volcano!_"

"Vanessa, we're in a volcano." Xander said.

"Yeah but… there's _lava_." I said, awed. "_Real_ lava."

"What did you expect, fake lave?" Xander nudged me. "Drop it, 'Nessa."

I sighed, closed my eyes, and let the bundle in the pink blanket fall slowly down.

"There." Xander slid his hand around my shoulder. "He's gone…"

"So is she." I whispered quietly.

###

Mark watched as Raven bounced off towards the hospital where her newborn daughter was waiting. She was so simple minded sometimes, especially around him.

"Duck?"

Mark turned around. A tiny girl was slowly stumbling towards him, her hands held out in front of her as if she was about to fall. "Duuuuck?"

"There aren't any ducks here." Mark snapped.

She gripped the leg of his pants. "Want Duck!"

Mark smacked her hand away. "Leave me alone!"

She stared up at him with huge eyes. "_Tempus fugits."_

Then she sunk her tiny teeth into his leg.

Mark cried out and hit her so hard she went flying through the air. After a few feet she whipped around and started flying towards him. "_Freak_." Mark spat.

He was watching the child so he didn't see the redhead until she hit him across the face.

"What the _hell_ was that?!" she snarled. "You don't just hit a child like that, you bloody-"

"Laura Malpense." He said.

"How do you know my-"

"How old were you?" he asked. "Thirteen?"

"I was fourteen." Laura whispered.

"Fourteen." He laughed. "Hmm, I wonder what would happen if I made that public knowledge? It would destroy your life."

Laura spun around and started towards Raven, who was racing back. _"Too late._"


	75. Anything You Say, Mark

**Vanessa**

I went into Raven's room and the first thing I saw was Valerie plopped on the ground shaking some sort of doll back and forth. I frowned… then the doll started crying and flailing around.

I ran forward and snatched what must have been my newborn half-sister from her grasp. "MOOOOMMM!"

There was no sound from Raven. I rocked the little girl back and forth. I hadn't caught her name… but she had really long eyelashes and like no hair.

Just then… my dad appeared in the doorway to the bathroom. Wearing… well… nothing…

…. ACKCKCKCKKCKCKKCKCKCKCKKCKKCCKKKCKCKhgjjtgtgwey7u… .

(Er… that was me banging my head on the keyboard…)

"Vanessa?" He said, not even bothering to stop, let alone think. "Hey, maybe I should avoid scarring my teenage daughter for life and go put some pants on…" But no. "Should I get Natalya?"

"Only if she's fully clothed." I grunted.

"Hey, Natalya?" Mark called.

A second later she appeared… and no, Mark had not heeded my request. "_What?!_"

"You… are a COMPLETE SELFISH IDIOT!" I screamed, thrusting the baby into her arms. "CAN'T YOU THINK ABOUT YOUR OWN KIDS FOR ONCE?!"

Then I turned and ran from the room.

###

**Raven**

I stared at Vanessa's retreating figure. "God, what was _that_ about?"

"I dunno." Mark ruffled my hair. "Geez, you're fat, Natalya."

I flushed. "I- I'll try to-"

"And all these kids are really annoying." Mark said. "Besides, this world is no place for babies."

"What?" I was too busy examining myself. Okay, so maybe I wasn't the size I was normally, but that was from having three babies in a row! But if Mark had pointed it out…

"I think… boarding school when they're older." Mark slid his arms around me from behind. "How does that sound?"

"Perfect." I said, still not really listening.

"Great." Mark said. "Are you sure you shouldn't go and talk to Vanessa?"

"Nah, she'll figure it out." I laughed. "She's a teenager… always doing crazy stuff."


	76. Jacob, Mark and the Scale of Weirdness

**Vanessa**

"What a jerk." I muttered as I stared down over the balcony.

"You got that right." Jacob sighed. "I made a Weirdo Scale once and he got an eleven."

"Well… he's special." Laura said.

"It only went up to ten." Jacob said, rolling his eyes.

"_Very _special." I looked up. "Hey, when did you guys get here? And what are you doing with that suitcase, Laura?"

"I'm leaving." Laura said, fidgeting slightly.

"Oh, are you and Otto going on vacation then?" I sighed. "Don't give my parents any ideas…"

"No, Vanessa." Laura said. "I'm leaving Otto."

"What?!" I spluttered.

"He's doing things behind my back left and right." Laura whispered. "I just need some time alone. I'll be back-"

"Can't you… can't you… shouldn't you wait until after the baby's born?" I demanded.

Laura rubbed her stomach. "No… I have to get away now before Otto figures out that I'm leaving."

"You're not telling him?"

"No… you know how he is." Laura had started twirling her hair around her finger. "I _will_ come back. I swear."

"Okay…" I said. "If you think you know what you're doing…"

###

Blu tried to pull open the door to the sports car, but it had been damaged in the crash that had left her stranded in the middle of a snowstorm on a deserted road. She gritted her teeth. She wished she could call for back up but being thirty years in the past pretty much ruined that plan.

It had sounded so simple- _go back in time and find the man who had once been Pietor Furan. _But she hadn't anticipated the storm-

"Hey!"

Blu looked up. She could see a figure in the window and she recognized it instantly as her target. He was good-looking and holding a blond toddler. They were both dressed for the weather.

"Hang on a second and get away from the window." Peter said.

Blu scooted backward as Peter picked up a rock and smashed the window. She went over to the hole and eased through, Peter helping her.

"What on earth are you doing?" he said.

"Well… it's a really long story." Blu said sheepishly.

"You'd better get in the car or you'll freeze." He grabbed her arm. "Come on."

Blu smiled, then dug under her coat for a second for the pendant. There was a flash of light and all of the sudden they were standing back in Blu's room. Peter frowned. "What did you do?"

"I just returned you to your own time, that's all." Blu smiled. "Welcome back, _Pietor Furan._"

The little girl began to cry.


	77. MMMMMMAAAARRRRIIIIEEEDDD! !

Madelynn had had this dream many times before and it was familiar to her. She was playing with Max by the lake and she was only five or six. They were on the dock and he pushed her in and watched with a blank expression as she floundered, despite her protests that she could not swim.

She shook out of her sleep quickly as someone entered her room. "Yes?"

"Madame." Captain Smith bowed his head. "Blu has returned with the requested prisoner. And there is a man and two children outside asking for you. Your brother."

She was careful not to let any emotion show on her face. "Very well. Lock the prisoners away for interrogation later and get Blu to the doctor and I don't care how, just do it."

Blu was a very good agent but she was still hopelessly in love with Otto despite anything that Madelynn had said. She also refused to believe that the child- Otto's child- she was carrying was slowly poisoning her. Which was _really_ annoying and if Blu wasn't impossibly difficult to kill she would have been dead by now.

Captain Smith nodded and exited. She stood up, put on her bathrobe and went down the stairs to the entrance hall of the grand old house. Otto was standing in the corner holding his head. There were two young girls next to him, both around six and obviously twins. They clung to him like they were afraid he would melt away.

"Madelynn." Otto said quietly. "Madelynn, I don't know what's happened- the last thing I can remember is-"

She shot him in the head, then turned swiftly away. "Someone clean that mess up." Madelynn said to the man who came hurrying towards her. "And throw the girls in the brig. I don't have time for this right now."

###

**Four Months Later**

Three: when I'm riding an out-of-control exploding bicycle with no breaks down an extremely steep hill with a guy in a Geico blimp firing a machine gun at me, while wearing a bridesmaid dress(me, not the guy in the blimp) and flashing my Hello Kitty underpants, I yell "PEANUT BUTTER!" and throw a paper clip at Wing's head.

Do you remember this?

Well, anyway it was one of my… I think they were some sort of rules? Anyway, I promised that it would make sense in context. And it does. Because that was the dream I had directly before my parent's wedding.

Yes. My parents are getting married. Seriously. Married.

I AM NOT KIDDING.

I became so frustrated with my internal monologue that I grabbed a paper clip off my desk and hurled it at Wing's forehead. It bounced off. Wing picked it up.

"Ah, it is one of these things." he said, then used it to pin back a stray strand of hair from his ponytail.

"MARRRRRRRRRIEDDDDDDDDDDD!" I bellowed at no one in particular.


	78. Jacob and Tally

Valerie giggled as she grabbed at my hand. "Less!"

"No." I said, sighing again. "My name is Va... ne... ssa. Can you say that? Va... ne... ssa."

"Less!"

"Va... ne... ssa." muttered Niko, tugging at the collar of his shirt. I really think it was just cruel to make a little kid like him wear a little suit. He looked pretty mad about it but Natasha, the youngest, seemed to be having a blast. Which meant wriggling so much that Jacob could barely hold her. And drooling on him.

"Dada!" Valerie bellowed, making a mad dive at a patch of air. I grabbed her and reeled her back in.

"Careful- you don't want to muddy up your little dress."

Valerie watched me for a second, then squealed even louder and jumped at the same spot. I pulled her back into my arms quickly. "No! Bad girl!"

"Sometimes I wonder if she really is seeing Dr. Nero's ghost." Jacob said quietly. "And only she can see it, or something. She really is a mysterious child."

Valerie nodded eagerly. "Dada!"

Jacob sighed. "Is Raven okay?" he asked. "She looks a lot thinner lately- did Mark say something and make her do something stupid again?"

"Yes." I stepped closer to him and spoke directly into his ear. "She's stopped eating. And she's training constantly training with Wing. She's been hospitalized twice from exhaustion that I know of but-"

"Vanessa!" Xander came over towards me. "Your clone is terrorizing my dad!"

I frowned. "_What?!_"

"That woman- the one who looks exactly like you, Blu or whatever- she's in the garden and she's talking to Dad- she's got a baby-"

"Let me get this straight- Tally's not eating?" Jacob demanded, pushing Xander away so he could get in my face.

"She got some of that stuff they give you in the hospital through an IV and she's been giving herself injections of it but I don't think it's enough-"

"Of course it's not enough!" Jacob screamed. "She's a living, breathing, human being- she needs more then _chemicals!"_

"Try telling her that." I snapped.

"I think I will." He hissed. Tasha began to cry. "And I don't understand why you haven't told anyone or tried to get her help!"

"You don't understand- she's _rabid_ when anyone questions _anything_ Mark might have had something to do with- even if it's dumb!"

"I don't care!" Jacob yelled. "She's pregnant, isn't she? She needs help or she's going to wreck herself and her baby!"

"Yeah, okay, good luck with that!" I shrieked after him as he tore towards Raven's room.


	79. Raven Can Be Really Dense Sometimes

**Raven**

I rubbed my head as I got closer to my room. My stomach growled loudly. I ignored it. Mark said I was prettier this way, even though I was practically as thin as I had been during my time in the Glasshouse-

The next thing I knew, someone had grabbed me and dragged me into a closet, clapping one hand over my mouth and the other around my waist. I turned around. The first person I saw couldn't possibly have been responsible. Tasha jammed her fingers into my ear and screamed something in a squeaky little voice.

"MMPH!" I growled.

"Shut up." Jacob snapped.

I bit down on his hand. He yelped and jerked it away. "What are you _doing_?!" I snarled.

"Open wide." Jacob said. I opened my mouth to yell at him and he jammed a sandwich into my mouth. "NOW SWALLOW."

I did as he asked, then wrenched my head away from him. "What the heck do you think-"

"YOU ARE EATING THIS ENTIRE THING IF I HAVE TO CRAM IT DOWN YOUR *(^&ING THROAT." Jacob growled.

"That seems to be what you're doing." I grunted.

"Stop blabbering and eat." Jacob retorted. "I don't want you to pass out or anything-"

"_You_ stop being ridiculous." I wrenched free of his grip and stood up. "I have to go get changed into my dress."

"Tally-" Jacob started.

"God, leave me alone, will you?!" I screamed. "You're always interfering and driving me crazy and acting like a lovesick schoolboy! You're such an idiot and you never think about how it feels to be chased after and teased every second of every day! I wish you would just GO AWAY!"

I banged open the door and stood up, stalking off down the corridor. A few feet away a frantic Shelby grabbed my wrist.

"I've been looking for you everywhere!" she spluttered. "Come on!"

Vanessa met me in my dressing room as Shelby tried to make me presentable. "Where's Jacob?"

"Probably still cowering in his broom closet." I muttered.

"Broom closet?"

"Don't ask."

"And… there you go!" Shelby said, giving my hair a last tug in an effort to get it to do _something…_ (like that was happening when it's this short) "Ready?"

"Ready." I said confidently. Jacob's face after I'd screamed at him flashed through my mind but I pushed it away. _I am doing the right thing. I am. Seriously. _


	80. My Stupid, Dense Tally

I was in a happy daze through the entire ceremony and couldn't stop staring at Mark. I just kept smiling stupidly until it was over and then I only snapped out of it when Vanessa poked me in in the arm.

"OW!" I bellowed. "Jeez that HURT!"

"Sorry." Vanessa was hanging on Xander's arm and Xander was holding Valerie. "But you kind of need to move… you're just standing around like an idiot."

"Ah." I scooped Valerie into my arms and she happily snuggled into my chest. "Is that a… flower petal in her mouth?"

"Well you made a toddler the flower girl." Vanessa muttered. "So she just ate them instead."

"You're such a silly girl." I said, patting Valerie's head.

The door to the room opened and a woman entered. She had short red hair and pretty green eyes, and she was dressed in a jean jacket over a gray tank top.

"Is that… Laura?!" I demanded.

"I think it must be." Xander said. "She's got a baby boy the age my brother would be…"

"But she looks… so athletic." I shrugged. "I guess she must have done some training in her time away-"

Someone tapped me on the shoulder. It was Blu.

"You again?" I grunted.

"Yes." She had a baby in her arms and she looked like she'd been crying, her mascara smudged across her nose. (See, _this_ is the reason I don't wear makeup. It has nothing whatsoever to do with the fact that I have no clue how to put it on. I mean, I know how to put makeup on. Of course I do. You just… take that little stick, and close your eyes and… you know… bother… you know what I'll ask Shelby later.)

"What are you doing here?" I demanded.

"I… wanted to talk to Otto… this is his son… if he knew that I'd had his baby I thought… I thought he'd love me again." she murmured.

"It doesn't work like that." I said, surprised by the sharpness in my tone. "Otto's already taken. You should just give up on him, find another guy."

"You seem to be good that that." she said, her voice suddenly slipping into a snarl. "It's been less than a year and you're already married."

She turned around and stalked off.

"Wooooow." said Vanessa. "Is that… me?"

"Your clone. Obviously… there's a few differences in personality." Xander mumbled.

"Hey!" I called after Blu. "I have a question!"

She turned back around.

"That one time- in the hotel with Max- did you-"

"No." Her lip curled. "Of course not."

Of course not. Max would never touch another woman. He loves me, me and only me and he has since the instant I was born-

Wait. Why am I thinking about that? _He's gone. Dead and gone. _

"Raven?"

Shelby stood in front of me, holding out a piece of paper folded in half. "It's… from Jacob." She said quietly.

I opened it.

_My stupid, dense Tally._

_I've decided to give up and go away like you so politely demanded. I think I can do better than a selfish girl like you. You never even think about the effect your actions will have, do you? That's how you got Dr. Nero and Vanessa killed. Think about that, Tally. Oh, and I've been in love with you since I was eight. You really are an idiot. Have a nice life. _

The paper slipped from my fingers and I staggered backwards. Thankfully Mark was behind me to catch me as I lost consciousness.


	81. Half A Bottle Of Champagne Later

**Okay, seriously… this thing IS going to end. Really. Soon.**

Valerie sat in Vanessa's arms. Vanessa and Xander were talking. Valerie leaned her head against Vanessa's chest and listened.

"Where'd your parents go?" Vanessa asked.

"Probably off to some corner to make out… yours too, it seems." Xander slid his arms around her waist. "The doctor said June?"

"The doctor said _twins_." Vanessa said, smiling widely.

"Jeez." Xander whispered. "Are you sure you can handle it?"

"I can handle anything." Vanessa said happily.

Jessa tapped her on the shoulder. "Oi, Montov.

"Yes?" I asked.

"It's your mom." Jessa said. "Follow me, quick."

**###**

I woke up in Mark's arms.

"Are you okay?" he asked. He was holding my blackbox.

"Yeah… I'm pretty thirsty now." I looked around. We were in some sort of back hallway, which was empty.

"Here." Mark said, handing me a green glass bottle. I gulped down half of the fizzy liquid inside it before I started to feel a little woozy.

"What is this stuff?" I demanded. My words were slightly slurred.

"Champagne."

!

"Why didn't you- _hic_- tell me?!"

"You didn't ask." Mark pulled me into his arms.

"I feel hot all of the sudden." I whispered, squirming. "Really hot…" I fumbled for the zipper at the back of my dress. Mark grabbed my arm and unzipped me. He kicked the long dress aside.

"There you go." He frowned as I started pulling off my underwear. "Natalya darling… you should probably keep that on."

"But I'm hotttt." I whined, collapsing onto him.

"Oh, Natalya." He brushed my hair off my forehead. I staggered to me feed and spun around in a lazy circle, giggling uncontrollably.

"The last time I was like this- hic- I was with Max… and I got pregnant- hic- with Valerie." I sat down on the ground. "I hope that doesn't-"

Someone grabbed my arm and without thinking I whipped around and punched them in the gut.

Vanessa doubled over, then collapsed into Xander's chest. For some reason, I laughed, and I could not stop laughing. I sat down hard on the ground, curled into a ball and cackled.

"Vanessa?!" Xander shook her. "Vanessa!"

Vanessa groaned and clutched at her side.

"What's wrong with her?" Mark demanded lazily.

"I- I don't know!" Xander was practically in tears. "Vanessa!"

"Get out of the way." said the red-headed girl who always followed Xander around. She pressed around the area I had hit before looking up.

"We need to get her to the hospital right away." Jessa said.

"What is it?" Xander asked.

"She's in labor." Jessa said.

"She was _pregnant?!"_ I spluttered.

Jessa, Xander and Mark all gave me a '_Well, duh.'_ look.

"Nobody ever tells me anything." I grunted.


	82. It's NEVER That Simple

**Xander**

Somehow my mom ended up driving me to the hospital following the ambulance with Vanessa in it. And Raven. Who was just sitting in the back singing a song that she seemed to be making up herself. I guess that's what happens when you drink half a bottle of champagne.

"Xander?" Mum asked, still concentrated on driving. "Was this… on purpose?"

"Vanessa getting punched in the stomach two months in by her mom and giving birth? No. Having kids? Yes."

"Are you sure you're ready for this?"

"Yes. We talked about it. A lot. And she takes care of Tasha and Niko and Valerie all the time, all by herself. She can do it."

"But you're not going to make her do it all alone, are you?" Something flickered in Laura's face.

"Of course not! I love her!"

Laura's hands clenched on the steering wheel. "Yeah. That's what your father said."

I flinched. I knew she hadn't meant to hurt me but… it still didn't feel that great.

"Just please don't turn her into me." Laura said, her voice hard and cold. "I don't think I could stand it."

"Mum? What have you been doing these past few months?" I asked hesitantly.

"Training." she said. I glanced at her. Not only was her hair even shorter then Raven's, she was now all… muscle-y. She looked a lot like Raven. Well, the old Raven, before she was with Nero and had Valerie and the others. "Xander… your father and I are splitting up."

"Okay." I said, numb.

"It's just..." Laura sighed. "I have an offer for a job a long ways away and we don't think we'll be able to make it work. I… I don't know how long it'll be for but, um… we're not getting a divorce or anything- oh, look, we're here."

###

**Vanessa**

I felt strangely cold as Xander entered the room. He ran towards me and grabbed both my hands. "Alive still?"

"My head is fuzzy." I mumbled.

"Funny, so is Raven's. I won't tell you what she's doing right now only that it involves a particularly handsome doctor and a closet."

"Well… she's already pregnant, so it's okay." I decided. "So what about me? And I gonna die?"

Xander kissed my forehead. "Not if I have anything to say about it. It's actually pretty simple. They give you some medicine to make it stop and we go home."

"Oh." I smiled. "Well, that's good to know."

Xander's happy smile vanished. "Only… it's _you,_ of course, so it's not that simple…"


	83. Xander and Vanessa

**Xander**

"The protective thingy the babies are in broke when Raven hit you." I said. "They need to be born in 24 hours or they could get sick and die."

"Oh." Vanessa twisted her hands in her lap, tearing up. "Oh… then they'll die, won't they?"

I closed my eyes. "The odds… aren't great."

"Close to impossible." Vanessa whispered.

"But…" I squeezed her shoulder. "There's two of them, so we've got twice the chance one lives. And H.I.V.E. has more advanced medical stuff." I forced a smile. "It'll be fine, Vanessa. Don't worry."

Vanessa nodded as a tear slipped down her cheek.

###

I stood outside of the room where Vanessa was having surgery. It was too dangerous for her to give birth normally. I was focused on what Laura had said in the car.

I could remember being a little kid, and listening to my parents fighting.

"_Where were you at lunch?" Otto asked. _

"_I skipped class. I didn't feel well." Laura said. _

"_Have you made up the work yet?"_

"_I'll do it later."_

"_You'll get behind, Laura!"_

"_I'm already over a year behind you!" Laura snapped. _

"_If you would just stop spoiling Xander and focus on what's important, maybe you would be able fix that." Otto growled._

"_Spoiling him?! Do you have any idea how much work it takes to raise a three year old?! Maybe you would if you spent a second of time with your own son!"_

_Otto slapped her across the face. "See you later." he said, slamming the door. _

_Laura fell to her knees, shaking with sobs. I wobbled up to her and patted her head. "Momma, I love you."_

_Normally, that was all it took to put a smile back on her face. But this time, she pushed me away._

"_Don't touch me." she hissed. "This is all your fault. I wish you had never been born!"_

Otto… if what he'd said was true after he'd woken up, he hadn't been under Overlord's control yet. He'd down and said those things of his own free will.

"Erm."

I looked up. A nurse stood in front of me.

"It's done. You can go and see her now."


End file.
